Another Like Me
by eixid
Summary: !Finished! A mysterious warrior attacks the Misaki home, but the gang finds out he is not the one to blame. But what happens when they, especially Ryoko, finds out who he really is?
1. Shattered Peace

This story takes place after the events in the OVA. Which means Washu is Ryoko's mother. Ryoko was Kagato's slave and was imprisoned in the cave at the Misaki Shrine by Yosho. Lord Katsuhito and Yosho are one in the same, and Ayeka and Sasami are his half sisters. Not to mention that Sasami and Tsunami have that merging thing going on. I'm going to pretend that none of the events in the TV series (Tenchi Universe), Tenchi in Tokyo, or the movies ever happened. However Kiyone will be in here, just pretend she came to earth with Mihoshi looking for the Souja and Kagato, and there may be appearances of Hotsuma or Nagi later on but I will deal with that when it happens. Confused yet, I know I am!   
  
  
Another Like Me.  
  
  
A man floated in nothingness. A void, an empty place, his soul. Aware of himself he opened his eyes and looked at his body. What was once turning old was new again. His white hair now black, his weathered hands now smooth, his mind free, for the moment.  
  
  
...you are to kill him. The voice was right next to his ear but everywhere at the same time.  
  
"I will not."  
  
...you do not have a choice.  
  
"You cannot control me any more."  
  
...I can and I will, I gave you that body, it is mine to do with as I see fit.  
  
"Please, just let me die."  
  
...you will not, you are an onna, and you still serve a purpose.  
  
"As your odalisque?"  
  
...yes, you do know you can do it without me controlling you.  
  
"Do you really think I would ever submit to you?"  
  
...in time you will, they all do in time.  
  
"Why have you let me keep my mind?"  
  
...for questions such as that. Although I am a God I still wish to see your limitations.  
  
"You are no God. Nothing that could ever be good would ever take a child and enslave them to do their bidding."  
  
...but you did the same as I.  
  
"Yes... I did."  
  
...go now and kill him, Clay has failed me.  
  
"I failed you too."  
  
...your body was week and old, I should of never let you keep it, now go, do as I say.  
  
"I will not."  
  
...very well.  
  
The voice faded. The figure jerked violently as energy shocked and pierced his body. Struggling, he tried to hold onto his control but the overwhelming pain let Tokimi's energy take possession of his being. Just like all the times before, he lost his control, his conscious was just a passenger in Tokimi's vehicle of destruction. His eyes opened once more, the once calm dark green orbs turned a blank yellow. Then he was gone.  
  
  
~~~:*:~~~  
  
  
A cool breeze blew across the woods at the Misaki shrine. Tenchi Misaki worked his way to the last row of the carrot field hoeing the small weeds in the furrows all under the gaze of a very concerned cabbit.  
  
"Miya?"  
  
"He he, no Ryo-ohki they're not ready yet, but they will be soon." Tenchi said looking at the creature staring at the tassel of green which hid the orange root. "You know, they say a watched carrot never grows." Tenchi said chucking at Ryo-ohki's behavior.  
  
"Tenchi!!!" a cyan haired woman called as she fell from the air and tackled Tenchi to the ground and sat across his chest.  
  
"Ryoko! Don't you have anything better to do than clobber me to the ground like this?"  
  
The space pirate smiled and placed a finger on her chin mimicking thinking. "Actually I don't, and it has been a week since I "clobbered" you last."  
  
Tenchi laughed as he and Ryoko got up off the ground.  
  
"So what brings you up here?" Tenchi asked picking up the spade and walking to the path that lead to the house.  
  
"Well, Ayeka wanted me to help with the housework, I told her I didn't want to, she yelled, I yelled, Mihoshi started crying, and I came up here."  
  
"You know it wouldn't hurt you to help her out once and a while."  
  
"I know, it's just that she asks so snotty. When Sasami or Kiyone ask me I help, but that little princess just makes me want to scream." Ryoko said as she picked up Ryo-ohki and walked with Tenchi to the house.  
  
"Are you doing alright?"  
  
Ryoko blushed as she was caught a little off guard from his question.  
  
"I mean are you ok, after what happened with Zero?" Tenchi stammered.  
  
"Yea fine, it just takes a little getting used to."  
  
"Good."  
  
"Tenchi?" Ryoko asked as they walked down the steps.  
  
"Yea?"  
  
"Well... I don't know how to ask so I am just going to come out with it. Do you think you will ever decide? Between Ayeka and me?"  
  
"Ah umm Ryoko..."  
  
"Its ok, I just... I guess if you chose her it would be ok."  
  
Tenchi couldn't believe what she just said. They both stopped walking as Ryoko turned away and looked out over the plush green mountains.  
  
"I mean I would be heartbroken but, at least I would know, for sure." She said staring off into the distance gently scratching a purring Ryo-ohki's head.   
  
"Ryoko I don't want to..."  
  
"Tenchi when are you going to understand that we will both be here fighting for you until you decide? Neither of us are going anywhere so you are not going to get out of hurting someone by waiting. And no matter who you choose, I don't think either of us will leave. She... she and I have been talking, rather she and Zero have been talking, and she feels she same as I do."  
  
Tenchi stood dumbfounded at Ryoko's confession.  
  
"Tenchi, I have loved you since you first played outside the cave as a child. And I know more than anyone else that you truly don't want to hurt either of us." Ryoko's tears flowed freely now as she looked at the ground. "I promised I wouldn't cry." She chuckled.  
  
"Ryoko..."  
  
"Please Tenchi. I'm going to clear my head for a while, I'll be back for supper. Please don't bring this up ok, lets just leave it here."  
  
"Ok Ryoko." With that Ryoko disappeared out of sight with Ryo-ohki in her arms. Tenchi resumed his walk to the house. Washu had told him that Ryoko would be acting strange after the merging with Zero, and it would take a while for the two personalities to completely form into one. He sighed walking past the shrine. Grandfather would know what to do, but he was on his yearly meditation, Tenchi doubted he would even come out of the shrine for a week.   
  
"Tenchi you're home!" Sasami yelled from the kitchen as he stepped through the door. "Supper will be ready in about an half hour, go wash up and help Ayeka and I!"  
  
"Sure thing Sasami, let me take a shower first."  
  
~~~:*:~~~  
  
"How are you today Ayeka?" Tenchi asked getting down the cutting board per Sasami's instructions.  
  
"Fine Lord Tenchi, just hungry, working with Sasami in the kitchen always works up a appetite."   
  
Sasami smiled at her sister. "Remember Ayeka, don't cut the vegetables too thick again."  
  
"Kind of unforgiving isn't she." Tenchi asked retrieving two knives from a drawer and setting the vegetables out.  
  
"Yes, make no mistake, in the kitchen what ever Sasami says goes." Ayeka said watching her blue pigtailed sister flutter about the kitchen like a bird.  
  
"Ayeka, Ryoko came to see me this afternoon."  
  
"Oh! I new that was where she was going. All I did was suggest to her that the house needed vacuuming and she huffed out of the house." Ayeka flustered.  
  
"Is all you two do fight?" Tenchi chuckled.  
  
"Well, it used to be that way." Ayeka said carefully slicing a carrot. "But after the events with Zero, we actually have begun to get along. Why do you ask?"  
  
"Well, she mentioned today that you both agreed on something."  
  
"Really, what was that?"  
  
Tenchi sighed; he had not wanted to tell her this. *You have to, no more avoiding this.* "The fact that me waiting to choose between you two hurts more than the rejection probably will."  
  
"Oh." Ayeka said not looking up from the cutting board.   
  
"Ayeka, I'm going to stop running from it. I realize you both love me, and I love you both to but..." Tenchi closed his eyes and seemed to carefully consider his next words. "...I won't choose today, and I won't choose tomorrow, but I am going to start listening to my feelings. If I feel drawn to you, I'll show it, and vice versa. I won't just wake up one morning and say 'I think I will marry Ryoko and turn to a life of crime in outer space!'"   
  
Ayeka chuckled. "No, I doubt you will. Besides I think you will have a harder time than you think trying to convince Ryoko to go back to that way of life."  
  
"So you understand what I'm going to try and do?"  
  
"Yes Lord Tenchi," Ayeka said looking up at him. "But I think you need to tell one more person what you have just told me."  
  
~~~:*:~~~  
  
"Oh Sasami, this looks so good." Nobuyuki said as he sat at the table.  
  
"Thanks father, Ayeka and Tenchi helped me cut up the vegetables for the stew." Sasami said setting down next to her sister.   
  
"So Tenchi, getting closer to the princess I see." Nobuyuki whispered elbowing his son in the ribs a few times for good measure.  
  
"Dad! Stop it." Tenchi said through clinched teeth as he noticed Ayeka blushing.  
  
"Lord Tenchi, have you seen Ryoko? It's not like her to miss meals." Ayeka said passing a bowl of noodles around the table to Mihoshi.  
  
"Uh, she said she might be a little late. She's..."  
  
"Right here." Ryoko spoke up as she telaported into her usual seat across from Tenchi.  
  
"Well so nice of you to join us daughter." Washu said really stressing the daughter part. *I love to get on her nerves.*  
  
Ryoko shot a perturbed glance at the chibi scientist and filled her plate with a variation of Sasami's cooking. Looking up she saw Tenchi staring at her with an overwhelming sense of concern playing his features. At first she thought she had food on her face but then remembered the conversation they had earlier. Having Zero inside her at this point gave her mood swings to say the least. One minute she would be the old space pirate Ryoko, terror of the universe, the next just a giggling love struck idiot. She smiled and nodded indicating that everything was okay as they both continued filling their plates.  
  
"So, does anybody want to hear how out patrol went today?" Kiyone asked between bites of food.  
  
"Oh, I do." Sasami said cheerfully. Kiyone loved telling the stories, no matter how exaggerated they were, to the little girl.  
  
"Well, Mihoshi and I were patrolling the Gurgin system when..." Kiyone was cut off by the ringing doorbell of the Misaki home.  
  
"I wonder who that could be at this hour?" Nobuyuki asked as he finished slurping a mouthful of noodles.  
  
"I'll get it!" Sasami yelled cheerfully as she hopped from the table and ran to the door. She opened the door to find a young man clad in black and dark green Jurain robes at the door. The man was a little taller than Tenchi, with broader shoulders and a slightly larger build. He had two bangs of black hair pulled down either side of his face with the rest pulled behind his head in a ponytail. Tsunami grew wary looking through Sasami's eyes, the stranger's appearance was not threatening, but his eyes looked out of place, they burned a lifeless yellow.  
  
"Sasami, may I speak with Tenchi for a moment." His voice was cold and emotionless, but carried a hint of familatry in the girl's mind. Sasami stood without moving as the stranger's eyes moved past her and onto Tenchi at the table. *How did he know my name?*  
  
"Go ahead and finish eating Sasami," Tenchi said getting up and approaching the door. "What is it you wanted?"  
  
"Not here, may we step outside for a moment?" Tenchi nodded and the two walked to the open yard between the house and the lake. Although he couldn't prove it, he was sure he had seen this man before.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
The man remained silent, but quickly spun around forming a black energy sword with a flaming green edge. The simple move caught Tenchi off guard as the blade arced down right above Tenchi's head, had it not been for Tsunami he would have been cleaved in half. Tsunami instantly summoned the Light Hawk Wings around Tenchi. The blade struck them full force but the man did not back down, he just put more power into his attack. Tenchi struggled to remain standing under the force of his opponent's blow. Finally ensuring his balance, he formed the Light Hawk Sword and was able to break himself free. The two warriors leapt high into the air and landed apart from each other by the moonlit shore of the lake.  
  
Witnessing the attack, the Misaki household had leapt from the dinner table and ran outside. Ryoko and Ayeka ran halfway into the yard transforming into their battle gear. Sasami and Mihoshi screamed and hid behind Nobuyuki as Kiyone and Washu stood at the front of the porch.  
  
"Why you little.." Ryoko said forming her energy sword and preparing to attack.  
  
"Stop!" Tenchi yelled holding his hand towards Ryoko halting the space pirate from advancing. "What do you want?" Tenchi yelled. *What was that? The Light Hawk Wings are almost gone, and that was just one attack! I cant risk Ryoko or Ayeka getting hurt, I need to finish this quickly.*  
  
The man did not respond to Tenchi's inquiry, he grunted as he took flight just above the dew-laden grass and charged the Jurain Prince. Tenchi blocked the first few blows from his opponent, but was loosing too much ground. The mans' blows were hard and unforgiving, each time their swords met Tenchi's grip was pushed to the edge until his arms felt like dead weight. The man stepped forward slicing horizontally through the air and striking Tenchi's energy sword full force. The sheer strength behind the blow broke the Light Hawk Blade from Tenchi's grasp. The blade landed impaled in the shore of the lake and dissipated. The man charged again at the defenseless warrior, and Tenchi waited for the final blow.  
  
The blade was stopped short of finding its mark by a newly formed energy bubble encasing the Jurain prince.  
  
"Lord Tenchi!" Ayeka yelled. The Jurian princess strained fueling the energy shield that protecting him from his opponent's sword. "Azaka, Kamidake!!"  
  
"Yes Maam!" The two log guardians rushed into the fight with their energy cannons blazing. The attacking figure leapt backward easily avoiding the guardians' attacks, and then flew high into the air at an incredible speed. Azaka and Kamidake positioned themselves directly beneath him and prepared to fire their main bean cannons, but it was two late. The figure plummeted towards earth faster than he ascended and scored a direct hit to Kamidake with a roundhouse kick, sending the damaged guardian flying into the lake. Without even turning, he seemed to effortlessly backhand Azaka sending him past the house and crashing through the forest. His eyes then turned back to Tenchi.  
  
"Oh no you don't!!" Ryoko yelled charging the figure.   
  
*No, please, not her.*  
  
The clashing of their energy swords sent sparks flying into the air. Ryoko fought with almost primal rage. *I'm not losing Tenchi like this, not again!*   
  
For some reason the figure did not advance on Ryoko, just wielded his sword with ease in deflecting her attacks.   
  
Suddenly, Washu's computer beeped and appeared before her on the porch.  
  
"What is it Washu?" Kiyone asked still clutching her GP issue blaster, mostly by habit seeing as the two fighters probably wielded more power than a garrison of patrol ships.  
  
"I'm picking up some sort of interference around him." Washu said quickly typing away on her holo-laptop.  
  
"You mean like a jamming device?"  
  
"Exactly, but jamming what? Wait a minute... It can't be!" the speed of Washu's typing increased as she narrowed down the possibilities. "He's being controlled."  
  
"What? You mean someone is using him like a robot."  
  
"Yes, now if I can just omit the same frequency but in a negative form I should be able to cancel out the force that's controlling him." Washu continued to work as the fight between the mystery man and Ryoko continued. "THERE!" Washu yelled triumphantly as she pressed the infamous big red button on her computer.  
  
Sparks cracked and engulfed the stranger's head. Straining in pain he fell to his knees. As the sparks subsided the stranger stood, and carefully watched his hand as he raised it to his face. *I..I'm moving it, what happened?* he thought overwhelmed by his situation.  
  
"You're not going to trick me!" Ryoko yelled charging once more.  
  
"RYOKO DON'T!!!" Washu yelled, but to no avail.  
  
The stranger stood there and made no attempt to dodge Ryoko's energy blade speeding towards him. He let his own sword dissipate, and lowered his head with open arms, seemingly welcoming death.  
  
Ryoko plunged her sword deep into the center of the mans chest with about a foot protruding from his back. She was so close to him he could feel her ragged breaths against his face. As the blood spilled from his wound he looked up at her. The once yellow, dead eyes now a beautiful green that radiated with a surreal glow.  
  
"Thank you..." His last words as he slumped down to the ground, and fell.  
  
"Thank you?" Ryoko murmured as she stood taken back by the change in the attacker.  
  
"Ryoko, Tenchi, help me get him into the lab NOW!!!"  
  
Tenchi, knowing better than to question Washu, ran to the man and lifted his motionless body with one arm over his shoulder.   
  
"What? Why should we help him? He tried to kill us." Ryoko yelled regaining her flamboyant attitude.  
  
"Because," Washu said. "HE wasn't trying to kill us, he was being controlled by someone else, and if we don't get him to my lab he will die and we will never know who is behind this!"  
  
Ryoko gasped. He was innocent, he was a slave, he.. he was like her. Running to Tenchi's aid she draped the man's other arm over her shoulder and telaported them to Washu's infirmary.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
...Well, what do you think so far? Haven't started on the next chapter but reviews will get me going. Who is the mystery attacker, is he someone the gang already knows of... Maybe, find out next time.  



	2. Attacker Reviled

...Thanks to everybody who reviewed. Sorry chapter two took so long to post but I have had a major case of writer's block.   
  
  
  
  
  
He was alone again, but this was different. Instead of helplessly floating in nothingness he was walking through a forest. The setting sun's orange light bounced off the fallen leaves and back up onto the trunks of the trees around him. It gave the beautiful illusion that the forest was glowing, it was brilliant. Well, maybe ordinary for someone who had seen it all their life, but for him, it was spectacular. He walked. Not knowing where to go, or where he was going seemed to make no difference here. Is this heaven? It couldn't be hell, he had been in the best comprehension of hell most of his life.   
  
"It must be heaven." He said looking up to the full moon already present in the darkening sky.  
  
"I'm flattered, but its not heaven." A childish voice sounded behind him. He spun defensively around to meet a young girl with long red hair stepping out from behind a tree. She smiled, a kind of smile that meant she knew something you didn't.  
  
"Well where am I then?" The man asked abandoning his defensive stance.  
  
"Actually," she started "we are inside your head."  
  
The man only cocked one eyebrow up in contemplation.  
  
"You see, you have been unconscious for about two days now. Your body has healed, very quickly I might add, but for some reason you are still in a coma. So I rigged up this little forest and transported myself into your mind to see if you were really brain dead. You can thank me later, but it was nothing for THE GREATEST SCIENTIFIC GENIUS IN THE UNIVERSE!!!"  
  
"Well I don't think I'm brain dead." He said with a little sense of humor in his voice.  
  
Washu laughed. "Of course not, but you were dead dead for a while there. My little Ryoko did a number on you."  
  
The stranger turned away. "Tell me Washu, you haven't figured out who I am yet have you?"  
  
An unnatural look of puzzlement adorned Washu's face; one thing she hated was someone knowing something she didn't. "That's one of the things I haven't figured out, your DNA strains were so complex I couldn't get past the first pair of chromosomes." She said completely missing the fact that he somehow knew her name.  
  
"And the other is you want to know who was controlling me, right?" The man cut off still facing away from the scientist.  
  
"Yep, you know your pretty smart." She said setting down on a fallen log. "So feel like talking?"  
  
"There is not much to talk about, I have been controlled by the Goddess Tokimi as long as I can remember."  
  
"Tokimi, but why did she make you attack us."  
  
"The rest I wish to tell you and the others in person. I need to think for a while, if you don't mind I would like to stay in this forest for a few more days."  
  
"On one condition, tell me who you are. Something about you is so familiar to me."  
  
He turned and looked her in the eyes for a brief moment before casting his to the ground. "I am the same man that kidnapped your daughter and locked you away in the bowels of the Souja for 2000 years."  
  
"Kagato..."  
  
  
~~~:*:~~~  
  
  
"He's who!!" Ryoko yelled.  
  
"Kagato." Washu said calmly while sipping her tea.  
  
A blazing red sword formed in Ryoko's hands as she marched towards her mother's lab/closet. "I'll kill him! This time for good!!"  
  
"Ryoko stop it!" Washu's voice was stern now. "You not going to kill him while he is helplessly laying there, especially after I spent two days putting him back together."  
  
"But Miss Washu." Ayeka started. "If you haven't forgotten Kagato made your daughter his slave, not to mention killed Lord Tenchi."  
  
"I know, I know." The scientist said pinching the bridge of her nose. "It's just..."  
  
"Just what! What could possibly justify letting that monster live another second!" Ryoko yelled as tears rolled down her cheeks. "Is it because Tokimi was telling him what to do! He still had a choice damnit!" Ryoko turned and walked to a far corner of the living room, desperately trying to regain her composure, but mostly so the others wouldn't see her cry. "He used me like a tool for over 2000 years, say what you want but when he wakes up I will kill him."  
  
"Ryoko.." Tenchi said as the cyan haired woman dissipated out of sight. He had never heard her like that. She was so emotional. The living room remained silent. One by one the members of the Misaki household began to resume their lives, but with thoughts of Kagato plaguing their thoughts.  
  
"Washu?" Tenchi asked when they were the two left in the room.  
  
"Yes Tenchi?"  
  
Tenchi gulped. "Was that Ryoko or Zero, when she said that about killing Kagato?"  
  
"It was Ryoko..."  
  
  
~~~:*:~~~  
  
  
Tenchi stood in the yard looking up to the roof where Ryoko usually sat this time of night. It was cold, uncommonly cold for this time of year Tenchi thought shoving his hands in his pockets.  
  
"I'm sure she will be back after she has cooled off." Ayeka said joining Tenchi looking up at the moon.  
  
"Yea, shouldn't take long in this wind." He chuckled, however it was devoid of humor. The two stood in an uncomfortable silence for what seemed like an eternity.  
  
"Penny for your thoughts." Tenchi said abandoning his visual of the roof and looking over the pond with Ayeka.  
  
"About Kagato?"  
  
"Is anyone here thinking about anything else?"  
  
"I guess not." Ayeka halfheartedly giggled. "I really don't know, I mean he did kill you, not to mention the hell he put Ryoko through. But if what Washu says about Tokimi is true he is not the one to blame. What do you think?"  
  
Tenchi sighed. "I don't know, we should give him a chance but... I guess it's different when you're the victim. We forgave Ryoko so easily because we never knew her when she was a space pirate, but Kagato... I just don't know."  
  
"I know what you mean, all those years I blamed Ryoko for Yosho leaving me, then I find out that Kagato was controlling her actions. Now he is not to blame either, Tokimi was apparently behind it all."  
  
"I never thought of that. I'm sorry Ayeka, I guess with all that happed with myself and Kagato I forgot how much you loved Grandfather." Tenchi looked down at the blades of grass reflecting the moonlight.  
  
"Hmm." Ayeka hummed while trying to bury her self deeper in her kimono to avoid the cool breeze. She physically jumped as Tenchi put his arm around her.  
  
"Relax, It's cold out here, maybe we should go back inside."  
  
"We should." Ayeka blushed as the two walked back into the warm house.  
  
  
~~~:*:~~~  
  
  
The lab, or rather the part Washu chose for them to be transported to, was filled with machines that reminded Ryoko of an old monster movie. The entire Misaki family was there with the exception of Lord Katsuhito, who was still on his yearly meditation. Everyone was in a mixed state of fear and curiosity when Washu announced that Kagato's vital signs were increasing, meaning that he would be waking up soon.  
  
"Now Ryoko, when he gets up you might want to be careful how you act."  
  
Ryoko huffed crossing her arms. "What's that supposed to mean?"  
  
"Well, he is a little more powerful than he was when Tenchi first fought him."  
  
"Well if you remember I killed him just the other day."  
  
"Ryoko," Washu said turning around on her cushion. "He let you kill him. His power is greater than anything I have ever seen, you saw what he did to the LightHawk wings."  
  
Ryoko tried to ignore her mother. She was right, as usual, Ryoko more than anyone knew she was totally outmatched, and it should be her on that table. It was hard to look at him. The man who had robbed her of her life was lying there helpless. Images went through her mind. How good it would feel to slowly press her sword into his chest. *Jesus, what am I thinking?* She would be no better than him, Ryoko thought shaking the images out of her head. *But he tried to take Tenchi away from me.* She looked over at the young man who held her heart. She felt content just looking at him, but wished she could at least act normal around him. It was either Zero blushing and acting like a schoolgirl, or the brash space pirate Ryoko 'clobbering' him as Tenchi himself so eloquently put it. Ryoko envied Ayeka, standing so close to him. Not the fact that she silently moved there while Ryoko wasn't looking, but the fact that Tenchi wasn't moving away like he did with her. *He has always been so comfortable with her.* Ryoko thought, but then she saw something that left her breathless.  
  
Holding hands. They were standing there holding hands. Ryoko blinked hoping to wash the image away, but to no avail. *When... when did that happen?* Had she been so absolved in her thoughts the past week that she missed something? She was trembling now, half of her wanted to sink to the floor and cry while the other half wanted to blow something big to hell and back. They continued to stand there, like they didn't even know their hands were touching. That upset her the most. Ryoko closed her eyes and faced back at the medical table. How long had she wanted Tenchi to touch her like that? Any touch, to feel his hand in hers, or his warm skin on her face, anything. And now her chief rival was getting it and looked like she could care less. Ryoko had decided to telaport outside when an alarm much like a microwave going off sounded.  
  
"Ok, that should do it." Washu said finishing her typing and looking over to the unconscious man.  
  
Kagato's green eyes cracked allowing the piercing lights to shine in. He groaned as he sat up on the table, continuing to rub his head.  
  
"How do you feel?" Washu asked, wanting more than anything to break the silence instilled by the other seven people in her lab.  
  
The man stood, wavering a little as his feet found the cold floor, but unknowingly letting the sheet that covered his naked body fall.  
  
"AAAHHH!!!"  
  
"Sasami!" Both Washu and Ayeka yelled as they rushed to cover the little girl's eyes.   
  
"Wha... Hey what are you doing!" Sasami screamed as she was nearly tackled.  
  
"Will you shut up." Kagato said one hand steadying himself on the table while the other rubbed his temples. With this pounding in his head the last thing he needed was someone screaming. "I'm sure you have all seen one before and I'm too beat up to go diving under tables." *At least they are not all screaming,* He thought as he noticed the blond one giggling like an idiot.  
  
Washu's holo-computer appeared before her and with a few quick keystrokes Kagato was in his old cloaks he had appeared in the week before. With a few more swift key movements the entire group was transported into the living room.  
  
"Okay," Washu started taking a seat. "I told them what you told me, but we all want to know why Tokimi wants Tenchi dead." Washu wasn't the type to waste time.  
  
"She is afraid of death." Kagato said quite matter-of-factly crossing his arms and leaning back against the wall. His head was subsiding but was still pounding hard enough to warrant closing his eyes.  
  
"But you cannot kill a God." Ayeka said removing her hands from her sister's eyes.  
  
"Not like you would think. You see a God has no physical being, only energy that can take on any form they wish. In theory, if their energy physically contacted another energy with an opposite wave pattern the two would destroy each other."  
  
"But there are billions of energy patterns in the universe, if an exact negative of Tokimi's even exists it would be impossible to find." Kiyone said taking a seat in between Nobuyuki and Mihoshi.   
  
"But there is one, the Jurai power."  
  
"You mean Lord Tenchi." Ayeka gasped.  
  
"Yes he is part of it, but he is too weak to kill her."  
  
Tenchi put his hand behind his head in his typical goofy fashion. He wasn't sure if he was supposed to be proud that he had the power to kill a God, or insulted that he was too week to use it.  
  
"Picture a mace. The handle is the Jurai power; it provides the motion, or energy in this case that powers the blow. The ball on the end is the LightHawk wings; it is what actually inflects the damage. And Tenchi you are the chain that holds the two together. The chain can only take so much pressure or it will break. That is why you cannot kill Tokimi, while you are a quarter Jurain you are still too weak to use the full power of Jurai." Kagato said opening his eyes, his head still hurt but he blocked it out; after all he had felt much worse before.  
  
"If I am too weak to hurt her why does she want me dead."  
  
"You yourself are too weak, but if you were to have children with a Jurain woman of pure blood your offspring would be stronger. She wants you dead to prevent any future threats."  
  
"But how did you know it was the Jurai power?" Nobuyuki said finally speaking up, all of this seemed over his head but he saw it as a valid question.  
  
"I know what it feels like, Tokimi was able to see it through me."  
  
"How would you know what the Jurai power feels li..." Ayeka started but was cut off by Kagato.  
  
"In the beginning Tokimi wanted to seek it out and completely destroy it. That is why I was sent after you Washu."   
  
*OOOHH that little insolent... how dare he interrupt me!* Ayeka thought.  
  
"She wanted my help in locating it?" The scientist said crossing her legs on the coffee table.  
  
"Yes, the original plan was for me to become your partner and kidnap Ryoko for your cooperation. However Tokimi was afraid you were not that strongly bonded with her, she believed that you were the only one capable of knowing her weakness so she ordered me to get rid of you."  
  
"And make me your slave!" Ryoko yelled banging her fist on the wall.  
  
"Ryoko." Washu said trying to calm her daughter down.  
  
"No, I want to hear him say it! Did she order you to make me a slave, or did you do it yourself!" She stomped across the room and stood eye to eye with him now.  
  
"I did it myself."  
  
"You son of a bitch!" She slapped him, but Kagato didn't move.  
  
"Tokimi ordered me to kill you and your mother. I convinced her that I could use you as my subordinate. I put Washu in Souja's mirror world so Tokimi couldn't detect that she was still alive."  
  
"Liar!" She swung again, but this time her hand was caught.  
  
"Had you rather I killed you? If I had killed you, you would have been spared 2000 years of slavery. But you would not be here right now. You would not know your Mother, Ayeka, Ten..."  
  
"STOP IT!" Ryoko screamed jerking her hand from him. "Just leave me alone!" Ryoko backed away.  
  
Kagato replaced his hand back under his robes. "I am sorry. I know I have caused you all much pain. And if you wish it I will leave and you will never see nor hear of me again. But you have to believe that I hate Tokimi even more than Ryoko hates me. As I see it, if I leave you are losing the only person that can even stand up to her. And whether I do it, Tenchi does it, or Tenchi's descendents do it, I want to see her dead."  
  
Not a word was spoken, Kagato was about to leave when Sasami stood and walked to where he was standing.  
  
"Its okay. You didn't do all those things, Tokimi forced you to. And I'm sure Washu can just add another room onto the house for you."  
  
Kagato looked down at the little princess. *How can she just accept me like that, without even giving it a second thought.*  
  
"Sasami's right," This time it was Tenchi that stood. "Come on everybody, Ryoko was just like him. And I know we can figure out someway to beat Tokimi."  
  
Kagato took a few steps towards the corner Ryoko had backed into. "Ryoko, if you do not want me here I will go."  
  
"Do whatever you want." Her words were barley audible.  
  
  
  
  
  
...As always please review and tell me what you think, whether good or bad, request or praise. 


	3. Preparations and Realizations.

Thanks for all the reviews. I hope I will be able to write quicker now that Tenchi Muyo is back on Toonami. Oh, I made a mistake in the last chapter. Tenchi is an 8th Jurain, not a quarter like I said. I forgot that Yosho's mother, Funaho, is from Earth. Well, here is chapter three:  
  
  
  
  
"So you are sure she cannot control me anymore?" Kagato's calm voice stressed the 'sure' part as he tried to make since of the computer readings on the screen before him.  
  
"Yep, your brain gives off waves like a radio. All I did was change your frequency." Washu leaned back on her cushion and grinned. "I scrambled it up so much she cant even track you."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
The scientist smiled. "No problem. Lets see, all we need to do now is get you a room." She turned her attention back to the computer and in a flurry of keystrokes was pulling up a Victorian house plan.  
  
"That wont be necessary. I prefer to sleep outside."  
  
Washu shot him an inquisitive glance. "You prefer to sleep outside? You sure, it can get pretty cold out at night."  
  
"I'm sure, the weather doesn't effect me." He said rising off of the examination table and stretching the sore muscles in his back.  
  
"But why wouldn't you want to be inside."  
  
"You wouldn't understand. On the rare occasions Tokimi let my mind out of her grasp I was always in some cell, or shielded prison bunker. I just prefer to be outside."  
  
"Oh." She hadn't meant to open that can of worms.  
  
"There is one thing I would like."  
  
"What is that?"  
  
~~~:*:~~~  
  
Kagato leaned back in the warm waters of the onsen. He doubted he had ever taken a bath, not that he needed one, he didn't even need to breathe. The warm waters relaxed his muscles, they were still tight after Washu's reconstructive surgery, but he suspected with a little work they would be back to normal in a few days.   
  
*Funny how fate works.* He thought dipping his head under the hot water and shaking his hair. A few days ago he was still a slave, now he was, as Sasami put it 'part of the family'. Not only part of the family, but part of a family he had been ordered to destroy. The sound of the door to the dressing rooms opening was accompanied with a greeting.  
  
"Oh hey Kagato, didn't expect to find you here." Tenchi had his hand raised in the air with a usual dumfounded grin plastered on his face. Kagato pondered for a moment, he still couldn't see what all the women apparently had for him.  
  
"Washu was kind enough to send me here with one of her portals."  
  
"Let me guess, it opened up about ten feet in the air directly over the water." Tenchi laughed and kicked off his shoes.  
  
"Exactly, you sound as if you are speaking from experience."  
  
"Yep, that's why I walked here." Kagato chuckled, at least Misaki had a sense of humor.  
  
"I have to admit Misaki, I never thought I would be sitting in an onsen with you." Kagato closed his eyes and leaned back into the hot water.  
  
"Me either, at least you don't have that old body, that thing freaked me out." Tenchi said finally easing into the water, still a cautious distance away from his old enemy.  
  
Kagato chuckled. "Yes it did have that effect on people."  
  
"So, that's your real body?"  
  
"It's a construct Tokimi formed, its what I really look like. However my real body wasted away eons ago."  
  
"Do you know who you are, I mean like where you were born and stuff?" Tenchi asked. He still wasn't that sure of Kagato. But he knew he needed to give him the chance.  
  
"Unfortunately." Kagato popped his neck about five times in succession which made Tenchi cringe.  
  
"It sounds like theirs a story behind that."  
  
"There is, but now is not the time nor the place for it." Kagato said curtly hoping Tenchi would drop the subject.  
  
"Oh, uh do you think Tokimi will attack again?"  
  
"Absolutely."  
  
Tenchi sat the soap back on the pool's rim.   
  
"By now she is growing suspicious. She will probably search for me, and since Washu has changed my brain patterns, will think you have destroyed me."  
  
"Will she send another assassin, I mean, does she have anyone else like you?"  
  
"Yes, but she will not send them."   
  
"Why not?"  
  
"She has slaves throughout every universe ready to die for her. I was her first, and her strongest. This time she will come herself."   
  
"Wow that's comforting."  
  
"I have already discussed it with Washu, she is working on a field that will block Tokimi from detecting you. If we can do that, we can wait until your ancestors are strong enough to fight."  
  
"Hey you could at least give me a chance!"  
  
Kagato picked up his towel and rose out of the pool. "I am sorry, you are what, nineteen, twenty? Washu, Ryoko, even the princesses' and I have lived for centuries. I know it's hard for you to look that far in the future but it is our best plan of action. If you go out there and get killed its all over, we need to bide our time."  
  
"Sorry, its hard not being able to do anything."  
  
"I know." He said as he turned and left.  
  
~~~:*:~~~  
  
"So you are saying that you want me to jeopardize my entire career by planting a bug on the Galaxy Police's computer?" Kiyone asked.  
  
"Exactly." Washu said.  
  
"No way!!" Kiyone yelled. One thing she hated was someone playing with her career.  
  
"I am sure Tokimi will use her slaves to search for the Jurai power." Kagato stepped away from the railing that looked down into the bulk of Washu's lab.  
  
"But why is she looking for it, didn't she send you here."  
  
"The universe is a vast place. Tokimi has only been to this galaxy once. While Earthlings, and most mortals for that matter, think they are the center of everything I doubt Tokimi remembers what this planet looks like."   
  
"So you are saying she doesn't know where Earth is?"   
  
"Do you know where the Galaxy Police headquarters for the Beta sector is?" Washu asked hoping to make a point.  
  
"Yea, its on Centurion." Kiyone said crossing her arms, every recruit in training had to memorize that.  
  
"Well, can you drive me there without using any navigation equipment?"  
  
"Himm." She pondered. "Good point."   
  
"So, why do we have to bug the computer?" Mihoshi asked, this time at least a halfway intelligent question.  
  
"Because she knows you and Kiyone helped Lord Tenchi get Ryoko back when Kagato first came to Earth. They will no doubt try and access your reports to discover where Earth is. Hopefully I will be able to erase all your reports before someone looks at them. Understand?" Washu explained as she handed a small crab-shaped computer remote to Kiyone.  
  
Kiyone looked at Mihoshi who scratched her head. "No." And the other three inhabitants of Washu's lab sweat-dropped.  
  
~~~:*:~~~  
  
"Is this it?" Mihoshi asked retrieving the small crab from her pouch.  
  
"Sush... Mihoshi do you want the alarms to go off?" Kiyone scolded in a hushed voice as she removed the panel to the supercomputer.  
  
"I'm... sorry..." Mihoshi started to whine as tears filled her eyes.  
  
*Why does this always happen to me?* Kiyone sighed. "Its okay, just give me the bug." As Kiyone hooked the bug up to the mainframe's motherboard the screen of Washu's computer came to life.  
  
"Ok girls good going." Washu said into the small microphone that corresponded to the speaker in Kiyone's ear. "You two be careful on your way out."  
  
"Okay." Kiyone said replacing the computer's cover. "Tell Sasami we'll be back for supper."  
  
"Oh boy! What's she making?" The bubbly blond clapped her hands together in excitement.  
  
"Will you be quiet!"  
  
"Sorry."  
  
Kagato chuckled from his vantage place behind Washu. "Do you think they will make it out alright?"  
  
"Them? Sure, no matter how much trouble Mihoshi gets into, somehow she always comes out unscathed."  
  
"Yes, as a matter of fact it was her that released you in the mirror world. Actually, I was worried about Kiyone."  
  
"Well, nothing an anxiety pill and a few gray-hair repigmentations cant fix." Kagato chuckled at the chibi scientist's reply.  
  
"Ok lets see here. First lets delete the reports." Washu's hands glided over the keys calling up and removing information on the screen faster than the eye could follow. "Ah! Here we are, report number 247563 titled: Destruction of Space Pirate Kagato, Class A1A." The scientist grinned and pressed a button and within seconds the report was gone. "Well that was easy, now just to delete the directory."  
  
"Wait." Kagato said stopping her typing. "Before you do, can you see when the folder was last accessed?"  
  
"Yea, just one second." Her hands went into overdrive again. "Huh, that's weird."  
  
"What?"  
  
"It was accessed two days ago, but there is no info on the user."  
  
"What does that mean?" He asked, already fearing what it was.  
  
"It was probably a hacker using a ghost program."  
  
"Tokimi!" Kagato cursed.  
  
"How can you be sure?"  
  
"What would a hacker possibly want with that specific report?"  
  
"Himm." Washu cupped her chin. "I guess that means our cover is blown. So we need to work on that shield so she cannot detect Tenchi."  
  
"It would be worthless, she will not even check to see if he is here." He pinched his forehead in frustration.  
  
"What do you saying?" Washu shot him an inquisitive glance.  
  
"I'm saying that she will destroy this planet without a second thought."  
  
"Ok ok ok, let me think a second." She couldn't believe a God would seek to destroy an entire planet just to prolong her life. If Tokimi had just left them alone no one would even have a reason to destroy her.  
  
"There is nothing to think about, when she arrives we will just have to fight and hope for the best. I need to think right now, and come up with some way to fight her."  
  
"Ok, I will use the GP computer to control their satellites and detect for her energy pattern. That will at least tell us where she is and give us some warning."  
  
"Should I tell the others?" Kagato inquired on his way out.  
  
"Not yet, lets as least wait until everyone gets back tonight."  
  
Kagato walked into the house from Washu's lab leaving her typing on the computer as usual. *Damnit!* he cursed himself for letting his hopes rise. It looked like Tenchi would have to face her after all. The former villain was so caught up in his thoughts he walked right into two teal pigtails.  
  
"Oww." Sasami yelped as she fell to the floor.  
  
"Princess Sasami I'm sorry, are you alright?" This is exactly what he needed, he thought as he helped her up.  
  
"Its okay, you just scared me." The little girl grinned as Ryo-ohki hopped back onto her head. Kagato pondered her for a second. Were all children like this? She seemed so cheerful, nothing seemed to bother her for long, she didn't seem to use the same reasoning adults did.  
  
"Sasami." Ryoko yelled from the living room. "You okay, thought I heard a scream?"  
  
"I'm fine Ryoko, Kagato just scared me." She giggled and left bouncing around the corner to the living room. As she passed the corner Ryoko stepped into the hall.  
  
"Still in the habit of scaring little girls?" She spat.  
  
"No it was an accident, I..."  
  
"Save it." Then she walked back into the living room.  
  
Kagato stood a moment longer, then turned and walked out the back door.  
  
Ryoko looked at Sasami lying on the floor already glued to whatever was on the TV. "You sure you're alright kid?" she asked setting on the sofa.  
  
"Yea, fine why?" She asked in her usual curious manner.  
  
"No reason. Hey where is everybody?"  
  
"Well, Kiyone and Mihoshi are still out on patrol, Washu is in her lab, and Tenchi and Ayeka went to town."  
  
Ryoko flinched. "Sasami, have you noticed your sister and Tenchi spending more time together?"  
  
"Yea I guess. Come to think about it, after Kagato showed up Tenchi has been acting differently around her."  
  
Ryoko leaned back. What was going on? Had she been that surly since Kagato came back. At first she thought it was just her, but quickly realized that not only were Tenchi and Ayeka spending a lot of time together, they were getting closer.   
  
"Miya?" Ryoko looked down at Ryo-ohki who eyed her from the coffee table.  
  
"So I guess you saw it to huh?" She asked as the Cabbit hopped in her lap. She needed to talk to Tenchi, she hadn't even really seen him in the last few days. Try as she might she couldn't even stay in the house when Kagato was around. *Maybe tonight.* She thought as she scratched a pair of purring ears.  
  
~~~:*:~~~  
  
"It's nice to get away for a while." Ayeka said as the two continued their journey up the stairs to the house. "I had fun today Lord Tenchi."  
  
"Yea, me too. We should get out more often. Seems all I do nowadays is come home from school and work in the carrot field, well and train with Grandpa."  
  
Ayeka chuckled. "Yes, I can picture his reaction next time you two spar." Ayeka lowered her voice. "Tenchi, you have not been practicing have you my boy?"  
  
They both burst into laughter at her impression of the older version of Yosho.  
  
"Ayeka," Tenchi managed to say through broken chuckles. "You really seem to be coming out of your shell."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Well, I don't know, just the way you acted today. In the mall and stuff, well, just like a normal girl, not the Crown Princess of Jurai. Not to mention what you just said about Grandpa."  
  
"I guess living with you and the others has kind of rubbed off on me." She said as the two came to a landing where the stone steps turned to the right. "Lord Tenchi look." Ayeka pointed at the sight before her.   
  
From the clearing of the landing a beautiful ball of orange glowed its true colors as it sank into the horizon. The clouds in the sky picked up numerous colors of yellow, gold, and even a deep violet.  
  
"Its beautiful." Tenchi said as he stood next to Ayeka.  
  
"You know Lord Tenchi," Ayeka said turning from the beautiful sunset to the young man beside her. "These last few days, hectic as they may have been, I think we have gotten a lot closer."  
  
"Yea, Lady Ayeka I..." Tenchi turned to face her but met a pair of willing lips pressed to his. He closed his eyes as their kiss slightly deepened. Absentmindedly he reached down and held her hands. It felt so good, so right, but something nagged the back of his mind, something telling him he shouldn't be doing this.  
  
Their first kiss broke as the two descendents of Jurai looked at each other. Tenchi would of liked to think that Kagato's little speech concerning him with a Jurain woman of pure blood had nothing to do with this. But the nagging feeling remained. *That's not it.* he thought looking into her oddly colored purple eyes. *I like her for who she is, not the fact that we need to beat Tokimi.*  
  
"I... I am sorry Lord Tenchi.." Ayeka apologized.  
  
"Don't be." He said wrapping his arm around her. "How about us getting to the house, I'm sure Sasami has already started dinner."  
  
"Yes, let's go."  
  
*What is it?* He wondered as the two continued up the stairs. It kept nagging him, something was wrong with this, but what? Then it his him like a ton of bricks. *Ryoko.* He never got the chance to tell her about his decision. *And Kagato!* He thought. *The man who did God knows what to her for all those years comes back and I just go off with Ayeka!* Tenchi mentally scolded himself. *How could I be so stupid! I need to talk to her, but when? She has barely been around since Kagato came back.* Dinner he decided, Kagato rarely ate and Ryoko wasn't one to miss a meal. *I'll find her after dinner.*  
  
A tear fell from the woman in question as she watched Tenchi and Ayeka climb the stairs from her perch in a tree. She had seen it all, and even heard it all. Before the tear hit the earth below, she was gone.   
  
~~~:*:~~~  
  
Kagato leaned back onto the cool tiles of the roof. The sky seemed so clear here, the breeze so clean. Tokimi was coming, there was no mistaking it. Somewhere, out there among all those stars she was stalking. Whether she knew what had happened to her slave he didn't know, but he knew she was coming, he could feel her.   
  
Kiyone and Mihoshi had just arrived via one of Washu's portals. He figured Washu wanted to give them all the news after dinner. Speaking of which, the smells emanating from the window below actually installed a feeling of hunger in him. *Funny for someone who doesn't require food to live.* He thought as he heard the distinct sound of someone telaporting near bye.  
  
"I'm sorry." He stood. "I didn't realize this was your spot." Kagato apologized to the woman before him.  
  
"No, its okay." Ryoko twisted some of her hair and looked away. "I usually sit over there anyway."   
  
Kagato watched as she turned and went to the other end of the roof. She looked so hurt, was it him? Ever since he came back here she had been like this. It wasn't Ryoko, it wasn't the girl he had known.  
  
*Why is it like this?* Ryoko thought. Why did all this happen. Everything was fine, they were so happy. Ryoko had long since learned to love the quiet life here, no surprises. But then Kagato came back, and it seemed like his arrival blew her away from the others, and Tenchi and Ayeka closer together. All these new emotions flooded her mind, well, not new exactly. Hurt, anger, love, Zero just made them so much stronger, and so hard to overcome.  
  
"Why Tenchi..." She mumbled as the tears flowed. Why now? With all this already playing on her heart. Why now of all times did he choose?  
  
Kagato heard Ryoko's sobbing voice from the other end of the roof. *What's she talking about, is she crying?* He listened to the sobs a moment longer. *Is me being around that hard on her? Of course it is you idiot, how would you feel if Tokimi came here and said it wasn't her fault?* He decided to leave when he felt her form an energy sword.  
  
Ryoko looked through tear-filled eyes at the crimson blade in her hand. "I should just end it." She said bringing the blade almost to her wrist. *YOU IDIOT!* A voice yelled in her head. *Ayeka will surly end up with Tenchi if you die! Now get off your ass and seduce that little twit!* Ryoko sniffed away the tears. She had been hearing Zero for so long it felt good to hear the good old space pirate Ryoko. *Alright Tenchi, you better get ready, because I'm going to show you what a real woman is all about!* Both Zero and Ryoko thought in unison, and as quickly as that, the two personalities merged into one. Just as she was about to dissipate her sword, running footsteps halted her.  
  
"RYOKO DON'T!!!!" Kagato yelled as he grabbed for her arm. He had seen her hold the sword to her wrist, heard her talking about ending it, and he'd be damned if he was going to let her get hurt again.  
  
Ryoko jerked to get away from the man rushing her. And in a moment of confusion, the tip of her energy sword cud deep into her left wrist. Ryoko fell with her right hand squeezing where the red blood poured.  
  
"Let me see it!" Kagato demanded as he tore a strip of cloth from his robes.  
  
"Just get away from me!" Ryoko yelped. She was hurt, scared, and franticly trying to defend herself from the man who caused her so much pain.  
  
"I said let me see it!" Kagato paid no attention to Ryoko's protest. He pulled her hand away and a gush of blood shot onto the roof. *Its deep.* He thought as he drew the torn cloth around the wound, desperately trying to stop the blood flow.  
  
"GET AWAY!" She yelled striking him with an energy blast that allowed her to break free of his grip.  
  
He looked at her eyes, they were wide with fear. She looked like a scared animal. Flashes of haunting memories shot into his mind. There he was, his old body topped with platinum white hair. Ryoko was on the floor of the Souja, a trickle of blood coming from one quarter of her mouth.  
  
"Wh... why?" She asked, with those same scared eyes.  
  
Kagato shook off the flashback. It was in the past, he needed to atone for that now.  
  
"I don't care if you are scared of me, I'm not going to let you die!" He yelled as he flew to her. Ryoko tried to telaport away, but was too week from the blood loss. Kagato grabbed her bleeding wrist first, squeezing it as hard as he could without crushing her arm.  
  
She went into a panicked struggle, scratching, clawing with her nails, trying to get away. But to no avail, she passed out. Kagato picked up her limp body and telaported away.  
  
  
  
  
...Love to leave you hanging. Please Review! 


	4. The Frozen Heart Melts.

Guess what? My last chapter got a whopping 0 reviews!! Zip, zilch, negatory-nada! So, if nobodies readin, then I'm not writing. Therefore this will be the last chapter unless I get some reviews...   
  
  
  
  
  
"WASHU!" Kagato yelled as he telaported into the living room. He laid Ryoko's limp body on the couch as the household began to filter in.   
  
"Oh my God!" Kiyone yelled as she descended the stairs and ran to where Ryoko laid. She instantly put pressure over the makeshift bandage Kagato had wrapped around her wrist. "Mihoshi, take Sasami and go get some water." She started giving orders, it was what she was trained to do, keep people alive.  
  
Ayeka came in next from her room, rushing down the stairs to Kiyone's aid. "Where is Washu!" She fluttered around nervously by Kiyone's side. "Ryoko don't you leave me, if you leave me I wont have any competition for Tenchi." She said, tears streaming down her face.  
  
Kagato stepped back from the commotion and to the lab's door as Tenchi bounded down the stairs. "WASHU!" He yelled banging on the door to the lab, for the first time noticing the fresh blood on his hands.  
  
Washu burst from her lab with what looked like a sports band in her hand. She had seen it all through her link with her daughter. "Move." She said sternly as Kiyone backed away. Quickly she slid the band over Ryoko's wound, and upon pressing a small button in the seam, exhaled a sigh of relief.   
  
"Is she going to be okay?" Sasami asked peeking over the couch at Ryoko's sleeping form.  
  
"She'll be fine. The machine is repairing the wound now but we should get her to my lab."  
  
Washu's news fell on Tenchi's deaf ears. "You Monster! What did you do to her!" Tenchi yelled turning to Kagato. He was swinging before he knew what was happening. Kagato was still looking at his blood soaked hands and was blindsided by the punch.   
  
He fell back, bloody hand touching the side of his face where Tenchi had hit leaving a line of crimson. Suddenly all the years of fighting kicked in. In one swift reflex that was too fast for anyone watching to even follow, Kagato moved forward and struck Tenchi in the chest with the palm of his hand. Sending the young prince flying back through the air and crashing through the paper door that connected the living room with the kitchen.  
  
The house was silent now, six pairs of eyes trained on him. He looked at them; they all looked so scared, like he was an animal out of control about to kill them all. Then he looked at Sasami, she was terrified, the one that had allowed him in without a second thought was now wondering why he had hurt her friend.  
  
Kagato closed his eyes, turned and walked out the door. He was a monster, and he vowed never to hurt them again.   
  
~~~:*:~~~  
  
Lord Katsuhito opened his eyes and broke his meditation. Looking around the interior of the small shrine he watched as the last ashes from the incense fell. Raising from his cushion he stretched his old muscles.   
  
"My my, I have much to do." The old man talked to himself as he walked out into the cool night. "My visitor should be arriving anytime now."  
  
~~~:*:~~~  
  
Washu glanced over her shoulder at her daughter again. She was fine, nothing a little laser surgery and plasma transfusion didn't fix, but it was best to keep her unconscious until the blood was completely replaced.  
  
She sighed, she new it was no ones fault, just an accident, but she new Kagato blamed himself. Not just by his disappearance, but the fact that she couldn't pick up a trace of him. Cameras, heat sensors, motion detectors, with all her security measures around the Misaki house nothing could find him.  
  
"He doesn't want to be found." She turned her attention back to the computer. Tokimi was no where to be found either. That wasn't big news though, the GP only accurately monitored about 12% of the known universe. She sighed again. Why did this bunch have to make a big deal out of everything? She understood why Tenchi did what he did, but he was lucky Kagato didn't kill him. *No, he wouldn't have. Kagato knows Tenchi is the only one that can beat Tokimi.*  
  
~~~:*:~~~  
  
Kagato walked in the night. He had walked straight out of the house and into the woods, path illuminated only by the soft glow of the moon. It felt like hours since he left the house, but it had probably been no longer than a few minutes.  
  
"I wonder where this goes?" He asked himself as he came out of the woods onto a set of stone steps leading farther up the mountain. He turned to climb them; still wondering what prevented him from just leaving. Tokimi of course. But would he want to stay even if she wasn't coming? There was Ryoko... *No! I have to stop thinking that. She is not the Ryoko I once knew.* A small visible sign of weakness fell from his eye and traced its way down his cheek as the silent man continued to climb the stone steps.  
  
~~~:*:~~~  
  
"Kiyone?" Sasami asked as she sat next to the green haired woman on the couch.  
  
"Yes, what is it?" Kiyone asked still sitting down where she fell after the night's events.  
  
"Ryoko is going to be okay, isn't she?" The little girl asked with tears in her eyes.  
  
Kiyone stood dumfounded for a moment. Ever since Tsunami revealed she was merging with the little girl the house began to treat her like an adult. "Yes Sasami, Washu said Ryoko is fine, she just needs to sleep a little while."  
  
Sasami sniffled again, wiping her nose on her sleeve, an action that reminded the galaxy police officer of a certain space pirate, not a crown princess. "Good."  
  
"You really like Ryoko don't you." Kiyone asked.  
  
"Yes," Sasami looked up at her. "She's my friend."  
  
"Really," Kiyone said faking a sense of disbelief. "How?"  
  
"Well, she always looks after me. And every once in a while she will take me flying with her."  
  
"You mean in Ryo-ohki?"  
  
"No silly, I mean in the air. She lets me ride on her back, and sometimes lets me fall, but she always catches me." Sasami's eyes got worried. "Please Kiyone don't tell Ayeka, I don't think she would like it."  
  
Kiyone rubbed her hand in the little girl's hair. "Don't worry about it, it'll be our secret."  
  
"Good."  
  
"Tell you what, why don't we go make some cookies for Ryoko. I'm sure she will be hungry after she wakes up."  
  
"Good idea Kiyone!" Sasami giggled and hopped up from the couch. "Kiyone?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Can we bake some for Kagato?"  
  
"I don't see why not, but why?"  
  
"Well, he was upset about what happened."  
  
"How do you know." Kiyone hadn't even noticed him; she was too preoccupied with Ryoko. The more she thought about it, she doubted anyone noticed him until he hit Tenchi.  
  
"I don't know," Sasami twisted her foot on the ground. "I just felt it."  
  
Kiyone smiled again. "Okay, we had better get started."  
  
~~~:*:~~~  
  
Kagato came to the end of the stairs that opened out to a small Shinto shrine and accompanying house.  
  
"Hello there." A friendly voice called out as an old man walked into view. At first Kagato thought it strange that he hadn't felt his presence, but then he remembered whom the old priest really was.  
  
"Uh.. hello." He abandoned his usually careful use of words to just what he was feeling at the time.  
  
"The shrine usually closes around seven you know."  
  
"I was not aware of that, Yosho."  
  
Katsuhito looked at his visitor a moment before pushing his glasses back up his nose. "Himm, I cannot say that it is good to see you again Kagato, but I am glad you wish to help us defeat Tokimi."  
  
"How did you know all that?"  
  
"Meditation allows you to see thing which are out of eyesight." The former Son of Jurai said tapping a finger to his forehead.  
  
"So you know about me, I mean all about me?"  
  
"Yes I know your past. But that is not the reason you have come up here tonight is it."  
  
"I am leaving. I will help you fight Tokimi but I will not go back to that house."  
  
"You mean back to Ryoko?" Katsuhito raised an eyebrow.  
  
Kagato said nothing, he had forgotten that Yosho had been born with a gift to read into people. "Yes, I was a fool to stay there in the first place."  
  
"Come with me. I think a little walk will help you clear your mind. I find that when people talk in the same place the air around them becomes old and stale."  
  
Both men walked past the shrine and along another stone pathway. Kagato pondered the significance of the path. It was built long before the inhabitants of this planet knew anything of modern machinery. Which meant that not only was each stone cut by hand, but that each one was carried up this mountain and placed in its exact spot. Yosho was like a living Buddha, everything he said or did always served as a purpose of enlightenment. It must have taken him years just to complete this stairway.   
  
"Watch your step." Katsuhito warned as he walked around a segment of ruined pathway.  
  
"What happened to this section of the stairs?" Kagato asked, it looked like it had been exploded.  
  
"Oh," Katsuhito said faking surprise. "That was damaged when you returned for Ryoko."  
  
Kagato understood. When he had returned for Ryoko he hadn't even noticed the pathway. How easily he had destroyed something that had weathered hundreds of years.  
  
"You need to stop running and hiding."  
  
"Running?" Kagato asked surprised at the old man's accusation. "I am not going anywhere. As I told you before I will stay and face Tokimi."  
  
"I did not mean from Tokimi." Katsuhito replied as the two continued their journey up the stairs. "I meant from them. You are hiding your past from them, squandering it away so you yourself do not have to see it."  
  
"Yosho, I do not think that any one of them wants to see my past."  
  
"There you are wrong. They need to see it, to fully understand that is was not your fault."  
  
"But they understand Tokimi controlled me."  
  
"Not really." Katsuhito stopped walking. "Do you know where this place is?"  
  
Kagato looked around a moment at what appeared to be a stone cave. "No."  
  
Katsuhito lit a torch that was leaning against the stone wall and illuminated the area. "This is the entrance of the cave I imprisoned Ryoko in." The Priest held the torch in front of him and entered the cave pushing open the rusty iron gates, with Kagato following.  
  
"When I fought her I absorbed one of her Gems into the Master Key. It was then that I saw why she was doing the things she was."  
  
"You mean me?"  
  
"Yes, so rather than kill her, I decided to put her to rest here so you nor Tokimi could find her." Katsuhito paused as the two reached the cold holding chamber where the demon of the Misaki Shrine had dwelled. "But when Tenchi awakened her, she told me that she was not asleep down here. For a thousand years she suffered in this freezing hell. You see Kagato, had she not told me I would have never understood her anger."  
  
Kagato understood now. He could not expect the others to forgive or understand him without letting them know what had happened. Like the stairway he had endured much in his life, and he needed to let people know so they could truly see him. "Thank you, I know what I need to tell them now." Kagato turned and began to walk back out of the cave. "Yosho?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Do not feel guilty for imprisoning her down here. I am the one that forced you to do so." The former slave said over his shoulder.  
  
Katsuhito nodded. "You need to go now."  
  
~~~:*:~~~  
  
Kagato stood in the corner of the room watching Ryoko's sleeping form. He had asked Washu to let him speak with her, he knew she was the most effected by his presence. And by the same token, he was the most effected by hers.  
  
She looked so peaceful lying there, like she was truly happy. But he sighed, when she woke up her eyes would turn to hate at the first sight of him. As if on cue Ryoko shuffled in her sleep and mumbled something incoherent. Washu had removed the repair band a few moments earlier and left him alone. Slowly he walked to the bed and watched her eyes crack open.  
  
"Your awake." He said wanting to announce his presence before it would have startled her.  
  
"Uggh." Ryoko growled as she realized the man beside her was not her beloved Tenchi.  
  
"I guess your head hurts as much as mine did?"  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"It was an accident Ryoko, Washu told us you had no intention of hurting yourself and I overreacted." Kagato sighed. "It seems I cannot exist without causing something pain."  
  
"What, like calling me defective, or threaten turning me into a rock again." She hissed as she rubbed her temples.  
  
"I'm sorry but I did not say those things."  
  
"Bullshit, if you didn't then who tormented me all those years?"  
  
"Tokimi."  
  
"What, don't try and blame this on her. Its not like she made you treat me like a piece of crap!" She yelled from her resting-place still not making eye contact.  
  
"Actually it is."  
  
Ryoko set up in the bed. She hated this man with all her heart, but something made her listen.  
  
"You grew up quickly Yoko." Kagato sat by her bed. "I treated you like a princess, I gave you everything you wanted." Kagato chuckled. "When you were five the interior of Souja was painted with white clouds and flying pigs. I'm still not sure where you got that from."   
  
Ryoko blushed; she could picture it, blue walls with the occasional pig with white wings dipping in and out of the white clouds. *Why now? Why am I seeing this now?*  
  
~*Well I might have a little something to do with that?*~  
  
~*MOM! YOU KNEW?!?!*~  
  
~*Just listen to what he has to say. Bye bye now.*~  
  
"But in just nineteen short years you reached maturity and stopped growing, and you wont age a day until you die. Things were different then. Although you may not believe it we were, friends. Tokimi rarely forced us to do anything. That was until Yosho."  
  
"Yosho? What did he have to do with it?" Ryoko asked. Here she was, listing to the last person in the universe who she thought would tell her about her past.  
  
"He tapped into the Jurai power. Tokimi was furious, she wanted me to send you to kill him."  
  
"Yea I remember that!" It was one of the few memories she had. Him chasing her all the way to Earth, and then sealing her in that cave.  
  
"I refused her order."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I refused. Yosho was way too powerful for you, Tokimi was willing to sacrifice you so I could study his fighting styles and then destroy him." Kagato looked at the floor. "That's when she took complete control of me."  
  
Ryoko watched as Kagato clinched a fist in his lap and seemed to struggle with his words.  
  
"After that I can only remember things she wanted me to see. It was like someone was driving my body, when she let me I could only see and hear what was going on. I tried, but could never control what I was doing."  
  
"Like what?" She asked quietly.  
  
Images flashed in his mind. It was a scene that had repeated over and over in his head for years. There was Ryoko, and himself placing the third gem in her neck. All three of the gems lit up with power, and with a burst of electricity all of the cyan haired woman's memories were erased. He stepped closer to her; she stood looking around like a scared rabbit, trying to understand where she was.  
  
"Where... where am I?" She asked meekly. But no sooner than the words escaped her mouth Kagato slapped her to the ground.  
  
"Shut up! You are a defective piece of waste!" He yelled.  
  
Her face was already starting to swell as fresh blood came from her lip. "Wh... why?"  
  
He reached down and grabbed her neck lifting her up into the air. "I thought I told you to shut up?" His voice was cold and emotionless. He raised his hand to strike her again and as always the image faded, accompanied by her scream.  
  
Kagato shook the vision out of his head and looked at her still setting up on the bed. "Visions, visions punishing me for disobeying her. Visions of me hurting you."  
  
"You mean all I can remember is the times Tokimi was controlling you?"  
  
"Yes, and she continued to control me until last week."  
  
"Kagato I..."   
  
"Please do not call me that." He seemed to visibly wince at the reference.  
  
"Kagato?"  
  
"Yes, that was the name she gave me after she took control. I am no more Kagato than you are the demon of the Misaki shrine. Call me Hanshin, it was my name back when we were both free."  
  
"Hanshin?"  
  
"Yes, or Han for short, whichever you prefer."  
  
"Han, what... what exactly did we share back then."  
  
Kagato looked up at her. "I loved you."  
  
Ryoko blushed and looked down at her lap. "Was the feeling mutual?"  
  
"Yes, you wanted to fight Yosho so I wouldn't have to. But when I told Tokimi no, she saw our feelings for each other. She could not have a slave without 100% devotion to her. I suspect that is why she had me beat you, to insure you retained no feelings for me."  
  
"How long have you been her slave?"  
  
"Over half a million years."   
  
"Ka.. Han, I didn't know." Ryoko hesitantly reached out and covered his hand with hers.  
  
Han looked at her hand, if felt just like it did all those years ago. "How could you of?" Ryoko chuckled halfheartedly. "What?"  
  
"So then, you and I were an item?"  
  
Kagato reached out and held her hand in-between his. "Ryoko, although you have no recollection, it is all still very real to me. I do not expect you to come running back into my arms; in fact I know that will never happen. Tokimi may have separated us, but I will not let her get you, not again."  
  
"I'm sorry, all of a sudden three thousand years doesn't seem so long."  
  
"It was too long Ryoko. And you must believe me that she will not live to see another year."  
  
Ryoko kept looking in his eyes, he seemed gentler now. No, it wasn't him; it was just her view of him. God, how much had she hurt him this past week? He was finally released from half a million years of imprisonment, and she wanted nothing to do with him.  
  
"You need your rest Yoko.. Ryoko." He said releasing his hand and breaking her thoughts. "And I must train. Incase you have forgotten Tokimi is coming, and I have some business with her."  
  
Ryoko watched as the man telaported out of sight. "Yoko..." She said aloud. He called her that twice. Was it that serious, pet names?   
  
"Agrr.." She growled and flopped back onto the bed.  
  
"Awake I see." A cheerful voice sounded that Ryoko didn't need to open her eyes to see who it belonged to.  
  
"You knew?" She asked, not removing her arm from over her eyes.  
  
"Yep." Washu said checking her daughter's wrist.  
  
"Why didn't you tell me?"  
  
"They were his memories, I had no right to tell you. Had it not been for Mihoshi somehow getting in the lab," *Despite my security measures.* Washu thought coldly. "And spilling her tea on the control panel it would of never shorted out giving me full access to his brain once I was leaving the forest I implanted in his mind."  
  
"What..." Ryoko raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Never mind." Washu grinned. "Soooo..., want to hear all the juicy details?"  
  
Ryoko stretched and got up off the table. She was dying to know, but knew if she begged Washu would only relish in it more. "Not if you are going to act like a child about it." Ryoko turned to leave the lab.  
  
"Ryoko."  
  
"Hn?"  
  
"It was real," Ryoko was startled by the sensitivity in Washu's tone. "and if I could I would send you back there to feel it for yourself."  
  
  
  
  
  
...There you go, getting a little juicy hu? REVIEW if you want to see any more! And let me tell you, this one's ending won't be like my others. 


	5. Past of the Knight.

Thanks for all the reviews, and as long as I keep getting them I will keep writing this. Currently I am looking at about three more chapters. So review and tell me how you like it. If you are not happy with the parings, all I ask is that you hang with me until the end.  
  
  
  
  
  
Ryoko telaported into her room the next morning and lay across her bed. She hadn't wanted to walk through the house; too much was on her mind.   
  
"Arg... Why cant anything be simple!" She groaned rubbing her face. "Han..."   
  
Footsteps approached her room. "Ryoko?" She heard Tenchi call tapping on her door. "You in there?"  
  
"Yea, come in Tenchi." Ryoko sat up, normally she would either be flustered, or trying to figure out a way to get him on the bed, but her heart didn't seem in it today.  
  
The young man cracked the door slipping into the simple room and standing near the bed.  
  
"You can sit down if you want." Ryoko tapped her bed and slid over. Tenchi sat, but didn't say a word. *Himm, I should of tried that one before.*  
  
"Ryoko I'm sorry. Ayeka and I ....we..." Tenchi pinched the bridge of his nose. "After you told me you and Ayeka were never going to leave in the carrot field that day. I made a decision to stop hiding my feelings, to let them out and do what I felt like doing, for better or worse. I told Ayeka, and was going to tell you but then Kagato showed up and.... I don't know what happened Ryoko, I... I'm sorry."  
  
Ryoko put her hand on Tenchi's shoulder. "Don't be."  
  
"Hu?" Tenchi looked at her, this was not like her at all.  
  
"When he came back I just retreated from you all. Not to mention turned into a royal bitch." She chuckled. "I'm still pissed you ran to Ayeka for comfort, but I guess I had rather it been her than anyone else."  
  
"So you're okay now."  
  
"Yea." She said thinking into it. "I guess I am."  
  
"Oww!" Tenchi called when he put weight on his hand, trying to move off the bed.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Uhh, Well... I kinda hit Kagato." Tenchi grinned rubbing his hand.  
  
"What... why?"  
  
"He had your blood all over him last night, I thought he had hurt you."  
  
Ryoko looked at him lovingly. "Moron!" She exclaimed popping Tenchi on the back of the head with her hand. "He could have killed you, you know?"  
  
Tenchi rubbed that back of his head. "Yea, he made that point clear when he threw me into the kitchen."  
  
Ryoko laughed. "I don't think you have to worry about him though."  
  
"Why's that?"  
  
"Just trust me, I found out some stuff about him last night."  
  
"He came back?" Nobody had seen hide or hair of him after last night.  
  
"Yea, for a minute, to tell me some stuff."  
  
"Where is he?"  
  
"I don't know, he said he was going to train."  
  
"Oh, I guess that wouldn't be such a bad idea. I should probably go see Grandpa." Tenchi looked at Ryoko. "Don't you think a Goddess coming to destroy the Earth would be important enough to interrupt his meditation?"  
  
Ryoko laughed. "Yes Tenchi, I think it would. But he will probably whack you on the head with a training sword anyway."  
  
Tenchi got up and started to leave, already fearing that Ryoko was right. "Ryoko?" He asked as he opened the door to the hall.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"You do know I still love you?"  
  
She smiled. "Yes Tenchi."  
  
~~~:*:~~~  
  
The man ran through the woods like a ghost, nothing more than a blur to the naked eye. Narrowly dodging standing trees and leaping the fallen ones he pushed his legs as fast as they could carry him. Still running he planted his foot on the side of a tree trunk, and with a few quick bounds up the surrounding trees was at the top, looking out over the forest.  
  
He took a breath looking out over the forest that had begun to shine full of golds, reds, and a few greens with the changing seasons. *Beautiful.* He thought before forming his energy sword.   
  
Leaping from the treetop, he arched the blade above his head and struck down on the top of a tall cedar. Smelling the satisfying aroma of burning wood, he flew down to the forest floor, cleaving the tree completely in half. His feet barley touched the ground before he released his sword and darted off to the side.  
  
This time flying through the woods, he threw two mid sized energy blasts ahead of him.  
He then telaported in mid flight, directly in the path of his blasts. Quicker than the eye could see he formed another sword and deflected the two blasts into the air.  
  
"That should be sufficient for now." Hanshin said wiping the sweat from his face, going at it like that for three hours did provide a little workout after all.  
  
"AHHH..." He yelped as his head nearly exploded. *What the Hell?* He stumbled over and leaned on the nearest tree for support. The pain continued, like thousands of needles it stabbed him to the ground, eventually causing him to black out.  
  
~~~:*:~~~  
  
"Ryoko!" Sasami yelled running out of the kitchen and hugging her waist.  
  
Ryoko stumbled off balance as the kid nearly tackled her. "Hey Sasami, what's the matter?" She asked letting her hand pet the little girls' head.  
  
"I was worried about you." She sniffled before her face broke out in a smile. "Come on, I have to show you something." Sasami took Ryoko's hand and practically drug her to the kitchen.  
  
"Hey, ease up Sasami, what's the big deal... HAHAHA!" Ryoko laughed at the sight before her. Kiyone, or what she assumed as Kiyone, was standing by the counter, her entire body covered in a good inch of baking flower. "Let me guess..." Ryoko's words were broken as she covered her mouth trying not to laugh. "Mi...Mihi... HAHAHA!!!  
  
"Yes..." Kiyone scowled from under her white vale. "Mihoshi."  
  
Ryoko continued to laugh as she held the corner of the counter to keep herself standing. "Kiy.., ha ha Kiyone, you don't know how much I needed that."  
  
"Well, I'm glad to be of service," She replied wiping her face clean. "Now if you will excuse me, I need to go to the Onsen."  
  
Sasami and Ryoko both continued to giggle as Kiyone made her way out the door, leaving a trail of white powder in her wake.   
  
"Here Ryoko." Sasami held up a sheet of gingerbread men, all with Cyan spiky hair.  
  
"Sasami..."  
  
"I figured you would be hungry, since you missed supper."  
  
Ryoko looked at the cookie sheet before selecting one. "Thank you."  
  
"Your welcome. I was going to bake some for Kagato, but I couldn't find out how to make them look like him. Besides, he hasn't even come back yet."  
  
"He'll be back. And I'm sure he will like these just fine."  
  
~~~:*:~~~  
  
"Tenchi!"  
  
"Wa... Huh!" Tenchi nearly jumped out of his skin when Washu's voice caught him off guard.  
  
"Tenchi, the intercom."  
  
"Oh yea." Tenchi said aloud stopping his trek to the Shrine as he pressed the tiny crab button on his collar. Washu had suggested they all wear them, incase a certain goddess showed up. "What is it Washu?"  
  
"Its Hanshin, something's going wrong, I need you to go see about him."  
  
"Hanshin?" *Who is that?*  
  
Washu sighed. "Kagato. Don't worry I'll explain later. I show him just on the other side of the ridge to your left."  
  
"Uhh, Washu, don't you think you should send someone else?" Tenchi was still not comfortable around him, especially after last night.  
  
Washu's reply was simple enough. "No."  
  
Tenchi sighed releasing the intercom. "Great, just hope Ryoko was right about him."  
  
~~~:*:~~~  
  
"Kagato."  
  
"Kagato."  
  
Han's eyes cracked open as the voice got nearer. *What happened?* He thought standing and leaning against a tree.  
  
"Kagato."  
  
"Yes! I'm here." He called back and saw Tenchi emerge from the forest growth.  
  
"Oh, are you alright? Washu said something was wrong."  
  
"I am fine, just a headache."  
  
"Oh." Tenchi followed as Kagato began to walk, apparently back to the house. "Kagato, I'm sorry about last night."  
  
"Its okay, I understand what you thought. I probably would have done it myself." He looked Tenchi over. "Are you okay, I didn't break anything did I?"  
  
"No, the paper curtain broke my fall." Tenchi laughed. "But I think I broke my hand on your face."  
  
Hanshin chuckled. "It was a good hit, you really should let Washu look at it."  
  
"I know, its just a sprang. Honestly, I don't like going in there, I'm afraid she will keep trying to get that 'sample', whatever that means."  
  
Hanshin's laughter actually broke the silence of the forest.   
  
"What?"  
  
"Well I suppose I should let you know. There is no sample, Washu just does it to scare you."  
  
"Jeez!"  
  
~~~:*:~~~  
  
"Hanshin?"  
  
"Yea, Han for short. What's so special about that?"  
  
"Its Juraian, more than that, it carries a meaning."  
  
"You lost me there princess." Ryoko said breaking off the head of one of her gingerbread men, or women, and throwing it in her mouth.  
  
"You see, the Jurai royal family has carried names throughout the centuries, and all our names have meaning."   
  
Sasami giggled "Yea, mine stands for 'light child', Ayeka's is 'delicate', and Tenchi means 'heaven and earth'."  
  
"So, what does Hanshin mean?"  
  
"It means Demi-God, a name like that, or anything with a reference to God would only be used for the most important nobles."  
  
"So, you are saying he is Juraian?"  
  
"I guess, but if that is his real name wouldn't he be a noble Ayeka?" Sasami asked.  
  
"Don't be silly Sasami. The House of Jurai has an extensive history of all its descendants. To my knowledge no one has ever been named Hanshin."   
  
The three girls could hear talking coming towards the front door.  
  
"So Ryoko merged with Clay's robot, Zero?" Hanshin asked as Tenchi opened the door.  
  
"Yep, that's why she has been a little different lately. But Washu said the two personalities have completely merged now."  
  
"Hey, will you two stop talking about me like I'm some bad anime character"  
  
"Sorry Ryoko," Tenchi smiled. ",so you said around nine in the morning?"  
  
"Yes, that will be fine." Hanshin nodded.  
  
"Okay, I'll be up there then." Tenchi left and went to his room.  
  
"So, are you two friends now?" Sasami asked as He sat on the sofa opposite from Ayeka and Ryoko.  
  
"Yes princess, I offered to give him some fighting pointers at the shrine in the morning." Hanshin sat on the couch resting his legs, working out that morning and having a little spar with Tenchi really did his muscles well.  
  
"Good. Come on Ryo-ohki lets go to the lake before sunset."  
  
"Miya!" The cabbit exclaimed knowing a trip to the lake meant a walk by the storage house, and carrots.  
  
"Kagato," Ayeka asked clearing her throat once her sister left. "Ryoko said you have a real name?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Hanshin?"  
  
"Yes." He stated again, not looking up.  
  
"May I ask why you have a royal Juraian title?"  
  
"I think it would be best to wait until after Tokimi is defeated."  
  
"I do not." Ayeka was firm, their was no logical reason for him to have such a name.  
  
Hanshin leaned forward and looked Ayeka in the eye. "Ken isshi toumuyo kakuho ikka Jurai tashou."  
  
Ayeka gasped.  
  
"What?" Ryoko leaned upright and looked back and forth between Hanshin's stoic face and Ayeka's shocked expression.  
  
"Its... Its Juraian, It's the first sentence of 'The Guild'."  
  
"The Guild?" Ryoko asked cocking up one eyebrow.   
  
"An ancient Juraian text."  
  
"Well, what does it mean?"  
  
Ayeka was silent. *Could this really be true?*  
  
"Well!" Ryoko asked growing impatient.  
  
"And the child was offered to insure the House of Jurai's future." Ayeka quoted. "You can't be, it's just not possible."  
  
"Will someone please tell me what's going on?"  
  
"Thousands of years ago," Hanshin began. "Several noble families who had been removed from power formed a great pirate guild. The head member was from a planet called Jurai, which had been destroyed by war. Eventually the guild adopted the name of the leader, eventually calling itself The House of Jurai."  
  
"So, the Jurain's started out as pirates?" Ryoko laughed. "Oh this is too perfect!"  
  
"And they began to act as Law and order in the outreaches of space using trees as their ships. Eventually it became the empire I am from." Ayeka paused. "The Guild is the oldest written record of Jurai's history. Are you saying..."  
  
"Yes I am." Han finished.  
  
"You mean you were the child?" Ryoko asked.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"It can't be. I'm sorry but it just can't be, the House would never sacrifice a child." Ayeka defended. Sacrifices to Gods were practiced back then, but not by Jurai, not by her ancestors.  
  
"Sacrifice? To who?"  
  
"Tokimi." Hanshin leaned back.   
  
Both Ayeka and Ryoko were silent.  
  
"Do you honestly think that a little pirate clan could have formed the empire that Jurai now holds on it own? I was the first born of Hibiki Jurai, the leader of the Guild. My parents offered me to Tokimi as a sacrifice when I was still an infant so she would grant her blessing over them."  
  
"How do you know all this? Weren't you still a baby?" Ryoko asked.  
  
"Tokimi let me see it all."  
  
"But why?" Ayeka still couldn't believe this.  
  
"She hoped to install a natural hate for Jurai in me. That way I would hopefully be eager to kill any Juraian noble that used the LightHawk Wings."  
  
Ayeka twisted her kimono in her lap. "Those stories... I never thought they were true." The First Princess of Jurai stood. "Hanshin, as Jurai's Crown Princess I offer our aid in anything you need." She bowed her head. "But as Ayeka I apologize for what was done."  
  
"Save your breath, not even your grandfather was alive back then."  
  
"Well, I must retire." Ayeka said walking to the stairs. "And I need to speak with my mother."  
  
Hanshin and Ryoko sat in silence. He could feel her eyes boring into him, begging him for answers. He rose and walked out the door dodging Sasami who came in with a basket of produce for supper.   
  
"Kagato, your invited to dinner. I'm making vegetable fried rice and honey simmered chicken." She said barely peeking out over the basket.  
  
"Sasami I..." Han looked at Ryoko who was still sitting on the couch. She looked like a portrait, more beautiful than he could remember. "Sasami I would love to."   
  
Outside, he looked out over the pond. It was so beautiful, how could Tokimi destroy this?   
  
"Why didn't you tell me that?" Ryoko asked walking up and standing beside him.  
  
"It didn't concern you." He stated.  
  
"You know, you need to drop the self-righteous bit."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Everybody here has been through hell. The sooner you admit that and act like a normal person the better."  
  
"Its hard, I cannot relax in waiting like this."  
  
Ryoko stepped in front of him, tears in her eyes. "Listen, you aren't the only one scared shitless by Tokimi! But everybody goes on with their normal life. Tenchi hoes the carrot field, Kiyone and Mihoshi go out on patrol, Nobuyki goes to work, Sasami cooks, and Ayeka continues to annoy the crap out of me! Why? Because if we stop our day to day lives because we are afraid we will not be alive tomorrow, Tokimi has already won!"  
  
Ryoko sobbed and stepped closer to Hanshin who protectively wrapped his arms around her.  
  
"I just want to stay here. Just live a normal life with the Misaki's, Ayeka and Sasami even." She buried her face against his chest. "Why... why does this always happen to us?"  
  
"I don't know." Hanshin let his head slightly dip catching the fragrance of her hair. "Yoko?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"We shouldn't be like this." He closed his eyes now, in his mind they were back on the Souja.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because..."  
  
"I'm not the Ryoko you used to know?"  
  
"Yes," He paused loosening his arms and allowing her to stand free. "I guess that's the best way to explain it."  
  
"Okay, but you can still walk with me back to the house." Ryoko said pulling his arm to walk beside her. "Oh, and if you tell anybody I broke down out there, you wont get a chance to see Tenchi fight Tokimi."  
  
He laughed. "Your secret is safe with m.... ARRR!!" Hanshin grabbed his head and fell to his knees.  
  
"Han, what's wrong?!?!" Ryoko asked kneeling by his side.  
  
"Tokimi.... she is coming!"  
  
  
  
  
...Please review, eixid. 


	6. The Calm Before the Storm.

Here is a little Valentines Day update for you all. Currently looking at 4 more chapters, please review....  
  
  
  
  
  
"Faster!" Hanshin yelled at the young man sweeping to attack him. A wooden practice sword cut through the air narrowly missing the taller mans midsection as he backed away. "Better!"  
  
Tenchi circled back about ten paces from his opponent and held the sword in front of him. "Why cant..." Tenchi took a labored breath. "Why cant we use energy weapons, I don't think I can do much to her with this bokuto."  
  
"You rely on the wings too much." Han let his sword hover over his shoulder, waiting for a moment to attack. "All she has to do is overload them, then you will wish you had a wooden sword."  
  
Tenchi braced his feet apart and let the tip of the sword grace the dirt.  
  
"Good posture, did Yosho teach you that?"  
  
"Yep." Tenchi grunted charging Hanshin, whom only stood still. At the last second Tenchi thrust his sword straight at his opponents throat.  
  
In a flash Hanshin's sword struck Tenchi's blade away and Tenchi rolled to the opposite side and behind his view. *This is too easy.* Hanshin thought spinning around to tap his opponent. If Tenchi could be disarmed this easily they didn't have a chance. "Tenchi, you must grip your sword bett..." Hanshin was stopped mid sentence by a small wooden knife pressed to his throat and a hand holding his head from behind.  
  
"Grandpa also taught me that an opponent may have two weapons." Tenchi smiled as Han released his sword.  
  
Tenchi released his grip and removed the dagger from Han's throat.  
  
Hanshin smiled tossing one of the practice swords back to him. "Misaki there may be hope for you yet."  
  
~~~:*:~~~   
  
"Washu?" Ryoko called as she stepped through the entrance of the lab. *Its weird,* She thought. *Everyone seems so relieved now that we know Tokimi is coming.* "Washu?" She called again.  
  
"Over here!"   
  
Ryoko walked over to the genius who continued to type into the computer. "Is that her?" She asked looking at the mass of energy plotted on a map of the universe.  
  
"Yep." Washu grinned. "Big cow isn't she?"  
  
"When?"  
  
"Late tomorrow, maybe early Sunday."  
  
Ryoko sighed. "Didn't give us much warning did she? So what's your plan?"  
  
"Why Ryoko, I'm so flattered you asked." Washu spun around on her cushion. "You, Hanshin, Tenchi and Ayeka fight her. The rest of the family will be up in Yukinojo and Ryo-ohki. I'll keep my link open with you incase we need to pick you up."  
  
Ryoko remained silent. "Mom?"   
  
Washu nearly fell off her cushion. *Did she just call me Mom?* She cleared her throat. "Yes?"  
  
"Why can't I remember?" Ryoko crossed her arms. "I keep trying but I can't remember anything about Hanshin." She felt cold, empty, like part of her was gone.  
  
Washu got up and walked over to another machine. "Tokimi erased all your memories, completely. It's a wonder she didn't destroy your conscious."  
  
"So theirs no way to let me see?"  
  
"You mean what happened back then?"  
  
"Yes." Ryoko nodded.  
  
Washu sighed. "I suppose, I could rig a parallel line up between you and Han."  
  
"And then I could see?"  
  
"Yes, but he must be completely willing to let me do it. There is no way I can select what memories you can see. If he cannot concentrate enough to let you see what you want, all his memories will flood into your mind. You will see everything, all 500,000 years." Washu explained.  
  
"If he agrees, will you do it?"  
  
"Don't you think your time could be better spent?"  
  
"No, I need to see this. I need to see what I'm fighting for."   
  
~~~:*:~~~  
  
"Its good to see you Father." Ayeka greeted and bowed into the vid-phone on board Ryu-oh.  
  
"Ayeka, I didn't expect to hear from you so soon." Azusa smiled as a glint of hope shimmered in his brown eyes. "Things not working out with that Tenchi boy?"  
  
"No, Tenchi and I are happy. How are mother and Funaho?"  
  
"You mothers are away right now, I believe shopping. How is Sasami."  
  
"Good, outside playing with Ryo-ohki." Ayeka looked down away from the view screen. "Father, I need to ask you something. And it is extremely important that you be completely honest with me."  
  
"Yes Ayeka, what is the matter?"  
  
"Ken isshi toumuyo kakuho ikka Jurai tashou."  
  
"The Guild?"  
  
"Yes father, I need to know if that story really happened."  
  
"Ayeka, it is only one sentence that has been transcribed through many different languages over thousands of years." Azusa's voice was shrouded in puzzlement.  
  
"Father, is it true?"  
  
"No one knows, as our heritage it is our place to view it as the truth. But in all honesty the chances are small that it took place in that form. Why the sudden interest in Jurain history Ayeka?"  
  
"One moment father. How many children did Hibiki Jurai have?"  
  
"Ayeka..." Azusa pleaded.  
  
"Father, please this is important."  
  
Jurai's king sighed. "Three, first a son and then two daughters."  
  
"What was the son's name."  
  
"Yoshin, he is your brothers namesake."  
  
Ayeka sighed with relief. *So Kagato is not telling the truth after all.* She knew her people were not capable of such things.  
  
"But I cannot recall his first son's name."  
  
"What?!" She gasped.  
  
"Hibiki had a son before Yoshin, but it is believed he died when he was still an infant." Azusa let his fingers grace his beard in contemplation. "I should remember, Ho.. Hen..."  
  
"Hanshin?"  
  
"Yes, it looks like you haven't been slacking off with your studies after all." Azusa looked into his daughter scared expression. "Ayeka honey you must tell me what is the matter?"  
  
Ayeka was speechless. Her lineage, her people, they were barbarians!  
  
"Ayeka?!?" Azusa's concern was slowly turning to anger.  
  
"Father I must go."  
  
"Ayeka you will not! Tell me what has scared you so? What could make the first crown princess of Jurai afraid?"  
  
"I want nothing to do with Jurai!"  
  
"What?"  
  
Ayeka clenched her fists at her side. "Hanshin is alive, and he was sacrificed to Tokimi by his father as payment for her protection! We used him like payment, he was nothing more than a lamb sent to the slaughter!"  
  
"Ayeka you are not making any sense."  
  
"Father, for the first time in my life I believe I am."  
  
"Ayeka..." Her father's plea was silenced as Ayeka terminated the call. She would not ask for his help. And from this point forward, she was no longer Jurai's Princess.  
  
~~~:*:~~~  
  
*Another day gone.* Hanshin thought as he sat on the roof. If Washu's calculations were correct, Tokimi could be here in as little as twenty-four hours. Han's mind wasn't dwelling as much on Tokimi, as it was the woman he knew was watching him.  
  
"Tell me not to feel weird around you." Ryoko said as she stepped from the shadows into the moonlight on the roof.  
  
Han closed his eyes and smiled. "Don't feel weird around me."  
  
"Very funny." She sat next to him and drew her knees to her chest. She looked out over the lake. "I want to remember."  
  
"Remember what?"  
  
"Us."  
  
"Oh." Han leaned back of his elbows. "Well, if it is any constellation I want you to remember us too."  
  
"Washu has a way." She said no louder than a whisper, face still against her legs.  
  
"Really."  
  
"Yea, she said she could do something with a machine and allow me to live your memories."  
  
"She can do that?"  
  
"I guess." Ryoko let her legs stretch and leaned back. Looking at him. "All you have to do is remember the times we were together."  
  
"Sounds simple enough." He looked into her eyes a moment before looking away. "But there is more than just us. I mean it's hard to condense 2000 years."  
  
"I know, but I want to see that first. Then, maybe after we defeat Tokimi, I can see the rest. That is if you will let me?"  
  
Hanshin looked at her before standing up. "Of course Ryoko."  
  
~~~:*:~~~  
  
"I'm sorry, but can you run that by me one more time Detective Kiyone?" The strong built General Kala asked as he sat behind his desk.  
  
Kiyone sighed looking into the communication screen. "I have very good reason to believe that the Earth is in danger."  
  
"Could you tell me why?"  
  
Kiyone remained standing at perfect attention. "You are no doubt familiar with our past confrontation with Kagato."  
  
"I am."  
  
"And the unrecognized prince of Jurai, Tenchi Misaki?"  
  
"I oversaw the incident Detective, please get to the point."  
  
"There is currently a plot to kill Tenchi Misaki, and we are afraid they will destroy Earth to accomplish it."  
  
"Wait one second, who is trying to kill him. And how would a ship large enough to destroy a planet get there without our noticing it?"  
  
"The Goddess Tokimi." Kiyone winced; she knew how ridiculous this sounded. Gods and other abnormalities that science couldn't explain had been shoved back out of the peoples limelight, placed in a preverbal x-file. "She doesn't require a ship."  
  
"Kiyone, I would understand this absurdity coming from your partners mouth but..."  
  
"Its true!" Kiyone was shocked by her own outburst. "Tokimi wishes to destroy Tenchi because he controls the only power that can kill her."  
  
"Kiyone, just listen to yourself." Kala waited for her to calm down. "You are asking me to authorize the evacuation of an entire planet on the grounds that 'God' is coming to destroy it?"  
  
"I..."  
  
"Do you know how ridiculous that sounds? Kiyone, half of the universe doesn't even believe in Gods anymore. They are seen as mythology." He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Do you have any proof?"  
  
"One of her mind controlled solders was sent as an assassin. He is now helping us."  
  
"So all you have is the word of an assassin?"  
  
Kiyone looked down from the screen. "Yes sir."  
  
"You do realize if I went to the commander with this I would probably be thrown in an insane asylum." Kala looked in his former student's eyes. "You know something you are not telling me aren't you."  
  
"Sir, things are so complicated now I don't know what to tell you."  
  
Kala sighed. "Your request for Galaxy Police support is denied Detective Kiyone." He shuffled some papers on his desk. "But I will be sending the Alpha Fleet on testing maneuvers around Pluto, that's the closest I can get them without the commanders approval."  
  
"Thank you Sir." Kiyone saluted as the communication was terminated. "Whew!" She wiped the sweat from her head. She was lucky she had gotten that much, had she not been the star student when Gen. Kala was still president of the academe she probably wouldn't have.   
  
~~~:*:~~~  
  
"Grandfather?"   
  
"Tenchi," The old man looked up from his tea to see his grandson entering the living room. "Shouldn't you be training with Hanshin. He is quite an accomplished swordsman you know."   
  
"Yea," Tenchi rubbed his sore knuckles. "And not bad at hand-to-hand combat either."  
  
Katsuhito laughed. "Yes, Little Washu told me of your confrontation."  
  
*Man, how does he always know everything?* Tenchi thought taking a seat.  
  
"Something other than Tokimi is bothering you isn't it my boy?"  
  
"Yes, actually two things." Tenchi replied letting his hands nervously fidget.  
  
"And what are they?"  
  
"Ayeka and Ryoko."  
  
"Him." Katsuhito nodded for his grandson to continue and sipped his tea.  
  
"I... I love them both. When I am alone with Ayeka, I think that she is the only person in the world for me. But then when I am just around Ryoko, I can't see anything but her. I want to give then both what they want. When I am around Ayeka, I try to be a gentleman, the prince of Jurai, because I know that makes her happy. And when I'm around Ryoko I just want to hit her with a snowball or something, be just an energetic person. But I can't tell one of them I love them, because it means I have to tell the other I don't."  
  
"Have you thought about Jurain marriages?"  
  
"You mean being with both of them?"  
  
Katsuhito nodded.  
  
"Yes, but I cant. Maybe it would have been different if I grew up on Jurai but." Tenchi sighed. "I just don't think any one of us would be happy."  
  
"Do not worry, I was raised there and could never accept it either." Katsuhito sat down his tea and stood looking out the window. "Tenchi, this must be your decision, only you are in control of your own destiny. You are not the same person you were when you released Ryoko from the cave, your battles with Kagato and Clay have changed you also. And I believe it is safe to assume that the battle with Tokimi will change us all." The old priest pushed his glasses back up on his nose. "All the advice I can give you is this: Be yourself Tenchi and create your own destiny. Do not fear failure, for when you do, that is when we hurt the ones we love."  
  
~~~:*:~~~  
  
"Ready?" Washu asked closing her laptop and walking to the room's door.  
  
"Washu, will you be able to see too?" Ryoko asked. She and Hanshin were sitting across from each other in a completely dark room.  
  
"No, this is between you and him." She smiled. "All you have to do is remember and she will see, I'll keep a watch on your vital signs from outside."  
  
"Thanks." Ryoko watched as Washu left the room, leaving the two alone sitting across from one another.  
  
"What exactly is it you want to see?" Hanshin asked breaking the deafening silence of the sensory deprivation chamber.  
  
Ryoko blushed. She hadn't really thought about it, it was at this point she wondered how 'close' they had actually gotten. "I... don't really know."  
  
"Well you must give me some idea."  
  
"Ok then, when it started."  
  
"When it started?" Han asked.  
  
"Yea, you and me, think you can handle that?"  
  
Hanshin thought for a moment. "Actually I think I can."  
  
"Ok then." Ryoko leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes. "Let's see if it was worth all this."  
  
Han took one last look at her, and closed his eyes.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
...Happy Valentines Day to all, and to all a good night! 


	7. Partners.

Sorry for the chapter failing, I was working in my profile and I accidentally deleted it. Anyway, its back up now so enjoy.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Arg.." Ryoko growled leaning back in her seat on the Souja's bridge and letting her cyan trusses spill over the back.  
  
"Yes?" Came the inquisitive reply of her partner, who stood silently looking out among the countless stars.  
  
"I'm bored out of my freaking mind! Why do we have to stay here anyway?" She typed on a screen before her. "Corgil III is just an hour away from here, why can't we go down for some fun?"  
  
"In case you haven't noticed, its not as easy as skipping study hall." Her partner turned from the window. "If Tokimi were to call and find us gone..."  
  
"Yea yea..." Ryoko waved her hand in the air. "Bitch bitch, moan moan, wrath of God exc..."  
  
Hanshin smiled. "Well put Yoko."  
  
"So, what's the days itinerary?"  
  
"Hadn't made one."  
  
"No School?" She sat up and asked.  
  
"Your 19, if you want to learn you are able to do it on your own. Besides, I'm tired of teaching."  
  
"Never thought I would hear that from you."  
  
"Live as if you were going to die tomorrow, but learn as if you were going to live forever." Han sat down in the captain's chair next to hers.  
  
"All right, that's it!" Ryoko hopped up from her seat and went to the door.   
  
"Where are you going?"  
  
"Your getting all philosophical on me so I'm leaving."  
  
"Leaving? But you cant, Tokimi..."  
  
"Live as if you were going to die tomorrow." She quoted before breaking into a run to one of the Souja's landing craft. "And times a wasting!" She laughed.  
  
"Why me?" Hanshin got up and began to follow. "Ryoko wait!"  
  
~~~:*:~~~  
  
The streets of downtown Corgil were filled with people. Dressed up, laughing, running to catch up with friends, lucky for Ryoko it was a Saturday night, standard party night throughout the universe.  
  
"Where are we going?" Hanshin complained as he was being drug through the streets. Upon her request, the two had spent some of their heard-stole money on new outfits. Seeing how her skin-tight red and black standard battle suit would have probably attracted more attention than she wanted, and his formal robes were, as the store clerk put it: ...sooo out this year.  
  
"Here!" Ryoko exclaimed as looked back at him before she drug him into a bar crowded with young people. The dark blue turtleneck shirt accented his broad shoulders well, even though she was looking straight at him, it was still hard to picture her friend in slacks and casual attire. The two made there way around the dance floor, which seemed to explode with lights as the music blared. Ryoko leaned back against the bar to take it all in while Han took a seat and waved at the young woman tending drinks.  
  
"Whacha want?" The redhead asked nearly passing him by as she continued to fill other drink orders.  
  
"Sake." He took a look over his shoulder as the music changed to something along the lines of tech-no. "...and leave the bottle." The girl complied producing a bottle and a small glass.  
  
"What's that?" Ryoko turned from looking out over the floor and sat.  
  
"Sake." Hanshin replied before sipping the rest of his glass and placing it back on the counter to refill it.  
  
"Mind if I try?"  
  
"Sure." He filled the glass and slid it over to her.  
  
Ryoko picked up the glass and eyed it apprehensively a second before throwing back and drinking the clear liquid.  
  
"Bla!" She gasped swallowing hard and slamming the glass back on the table. "How do you drink that stuff?" She asked franticly trying to wave down that bartender for a Margarita or anything to wash away the taste.  
  
He chuckled pouring his small glass full again. "It's an acquired taste."  
  
"Who would want to acquire that?" She asked reaching out and snatching a Pina Colada from a tray as a waitress passed them by.  
  
The songs changed again, not anything good Hanshin thought, but anything was better than that previous blaring of off key notes. He made a personal note to practice on his organ once they returned.  
  
"Wanna dance?" Ryoko asked sitting her half-empty glass on the bar.  
  
He just looked at her with one eye.  
  
"Didn't think so." She hopped up off her stool and went into the crowd.   
  
He watched her a little from afar. She was truly stunning; it was hard to believe that this woman was once the little girl he had watched over. The all-important little black dress that she wore was nearly as form fitting as her usual attire. She danced alone for a moment, just a moment mind you, before a horde of guys seemingly came out of the woodwork to speak to her. She smiled talking to them, waving her hand in the air occasionally to dismiss some, talking and dancing with others. *Well, at least she is enjoying herself.* He thought just before she seemed to look past everyone in the crowd and into his eyes.   
  
He quickly turned on the barstool to face the wall of liquid filled glass containers. Why had she looked at him like that? Well you were staring at her. I was just watching out for her. More like just watching her yourself. He drained his glass once again and sat it back down empty, spinning it in his fingers.  
  
"Hello." A young woman sat on the barstool that Ryoko had previously occupied.  
  
"Hi." Hanshin's usually deep voice seemed to get stuck somewhere in his throat. The woman was no doubt pretty. Blue eyes, blond hair tied back into a ponytail with the exception of her bangs, and a red dress equally as stunning as Ryoko's.  
  
"So, should we leave it at that or do you want to buy me a drink." She smiled crossing her legs.  
  
*No reason for Ryoko to make all the new friends.* He held his hand up for the bartender. "What would the lady like?" He asked, somewhere finding his voice again.  
  
"Shayla would like a..."  
  
Ryoko watched Hanshin talk to the blond who took a seat next to him. *Good* She thought. *Maybe he won't just be a knot on a log after all.*  
  
"Hey there." A young man greeted as he started dancing next to Ryoko. "You here all by yourself?"  
  
"With a friend." She smiled.  
  
"The names Chris." The young man with the messy black hair introduced himself.  
  
"Ryoko."  
  
Chris took her hand and leaned down to kiss it. "It a pleasure Ryoko."  
  
As the evening wore on, and the bar crowd thinned out Hanshin was pleasantly surprised to discover that Shayla was quite intelligent. She was a student at the Science Academe on Corgil so they actually had a good conversation.  
  
"I never asked you if you were here with anybody Hanshin." Shayla looked up from twirling the little plastic sword in her drink.  
  
"Just a friend." Hanshin smiled, he was actually enjoying himself.  
  
"Good, I would hate to know that our conversation might abruptly end if your girlfriend came over."   
  
He chuckled looking over at the other side of dance floor where Ryoko was sitting with another guy.  
  
"Alright everyone." The DJ's smooth voice came over the speakers. "This is the last call, so for the few of you who have weathered the storm, take the hand of someone special, and come to the floor for the last one of the night."  
  
"You dance?" Shayla asked.  
  
The large speakers seemed to be cooling down as a gentle instrumental passed through them. Normally he wouldn't do anything of the sort. But now that the floor wasn't nearly as crowded, empty really except for Ryoko and a young man she had been with most of the night, not to mention the fact that the bottle of Sake began to loosen him up. He smiled and nodded in agreement. "Take it easy, I'm a first timer." He rose and walked behind her.  
  
"Okay." Shayla turned to face him once they reached the floor. "Just put your hands on my waist." He did as he was instructed and was surprised when Shayla pressed herself to him and wrapped her arms around his neck.  
  
Hanshin narrowly avoided gulping before he spoke. "Now what?"  
  
"Just rock," She giggled "Just kinda sway back and forth."  
  
He looked at Shayla. Although he couldn't point it out, something about her seemed so familiar. *Her eyes look almost catlike.*  
  
Ryoko herself was in her own world as well. *Chris has been the perfect gentleman all night.* She thought as the music progressed. He kind of had a quiet strong feeling to him.  
  
A lock of Shayla's hair came loose from the ponytail and seemed to spring out from her head. *I wonder what she looks like when her hair isn't drawn back?*  
  
Ryoko looked into Chris' eyes. *They're such a deep green.*  
  
*Maybe I should ask to see her again.* Hanshin instantly dismissed that thought, the last thing he wanted to drag anyone into his ties with Tokimi. He hadn't even thought about his life while he was talking with her. *She is so carefree, so energetic, kind of like a child.*  
  
*Himm,* Ryoko thought. *I bet he would look good with longer hair drawn back, and a pair of long trusses on either side of his face.*  
  
"Oof!" Both Ryoko and Hanshin grunted as they accidentally backed into one another on the floor.  
  
"Hey watch it asshole!" Chris barked.  
  
"Excuse me?" Hanshin asked, more surprised than angry, turning to face the man.  
  
"You heard me." Ryoko looked up at Chris, not believing what he just said.  
  
"Come on Hanshin." Shayla tugged at his arm. "Lets just go..." He wasn't even able to reply as Shayla frantically drug him out the door.  
  
"Can you believe that prick?" Chris asked watching the other couple go out the door and stepping back to Ryoko, wanting to resume there dance.  
  
Ryoko backed away as Chris approached. "What was that about!"  
  
"He tried to cop a feel, what? Don't tell me you didn't notice it."  
  
Ryoko turned and walked towards the door.  
  
"Hey! Ryoko, where are you going?" Chris ran after her.  
  
"I'm leaving." She continued to the door. *All night he pulls out chairs for me, makes me think he is just sooo sweet.* She sighed. *Nothing but a liar who got ruffled trying to get into my pants.*  
  
"Now wait a damn minute..." Chris reached out and grabbed her arm to stop her retreat.  
  
Ryoko turned to face him with an evil smile on her face. *Well, at least I'll get some action tonight after all.*  
  
"AHHHH!" The redheaded bartender screamed diving under the counter before an airborne man crashed into the wall of bottles. Ryoko dusted off her hands and walked out the door.  
  
The bartender peaked up over the counter and pushed her hair, now soaking with liquor from the broken bottles, out of her face. "I need a new job."  
  
~~~:*:~~~  
  
"Sorry," Shayla said as the two walked on the sidewalk. "I... I just don't like confrontations."  
  
"There was no reason to leave, he was the aggressor."   
  
"I know." Shayla hung her head like a child being scolded.  
  
"He probably just had a little too much to drink." At first Hanshin had worried about leaving Ryoko back at the club with that guy, but all worries were put to rest when he heard a man's scream and glass breaking once they got a little ways down the street.   
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
"What for?" He asked, her eyes were still cast to the ground.  
  
"About that back there."  
  
"You didn't have anything to do with it."  
  
"I know, its just..." Shayla was struggling with her words.  
  
"Its okay, don't worry about it, I need to be getting back to the spaceport anyway."  
  
"Oh, so you have to leave?"  
  
He thought up a quick lie. "Yes, I'm with the Galaxy Polices' education foundation."  
  
"Do you know if you will ever be back to Corgil?"  
  
"I don't, didn't know I was coming here until I was dragged onto the drop-ship." That part, at least, was the truth.  
  
"Oh." She sighed as a cab stopped beside her. "Well, if you ever do get back look me up." She got in the cab and Hanshin slipped some money to the driver while she wasn't looking.  
  
"I will, it was nice to meet you Shayla."   
  
"You to Hanshin." The window rolled up and the cab disappeared into the night.  
  
~~~:*:~~~  
  
Hanshin walked into a small park only a few blocks away from the spaceport. He figured Ryoko would probably be busy for a while, she usually turned to more, 'illegal' actions when she was mad. He rounded a corner looking for a place to sit, and was relieved to find a bench, however it was already occupied.   
  
"Ryoko?"  
  
Ryoko leaned her head back over the park bench see her partner.  
  
"Yep..."  
  
"I didn't expect you to be here, figured you went out on a bank robbing spree."  
  
Ryoko chuckled remembering the last time she had hit the town. Her date hadn't taken no for an answer, so after she deposited his unconscious body in a dumpster she went on the crime spree of the century. It took Hanshin three months to track her down; needless to say, the clothes they were warring were a direct result of some of the money she returned with.  
  
"What happened to that guy you were with?" He asked taking a seat to the right of Ryoko.  
  
"Chris?"  
  
"Yes, if that was his name."  
  
"Probably still picking glass shards out of his ass." Ryoko leaned back.  
  
"Hn." Hanshin chuckled. "You two were really getting along all night."  
  
"Yea, he treated me so nice all night you know. Then, he just goes off on you."  
  
"Don't tell me that's why you left? I thought it was rather funny."  
  
"That's it!" Ryoko exclaimed throwing her hands in the air.  
  
"What?"  
  
"You! You were cool about it, but him! He just lost it, called you a prick, I just wanted a gentleman, not to mention someone that can keep his cool." Ryoko looked over at Hanshin crossing her arms. "What about the blond?"  
  
"Shayla? I don't know." Now it was Hanshin's turn to lean back and look at the stars. "She was nice, smart, we had a great conversation all night but something wasn't there? I don't know. She was... she was a wuss." Ryoko doubled over laughing holding her gut. "What?"  
  
"I... I never thought I would her you say the word: 'wuss'!"   
  
"Ha Ha very funny." Hanshin crossed his arms.  
  
Ryoko straitened up in her seat. "I'm sorry." She wiped a tear from her eye. "Go on, you said something wasn't there, what?"  
  
"I don't know. She wasn't you." Hanshin nearly slapped a hand over his mouth.  
  
"What...what did you say?" Ryoko asked sitting up, voice meek and surprised, face contorted in puzzlement.  
  
*WHAT THE HELL?* Hanshin's mind was racing. *Why did I say that?*  
  
"What did you say?" Ryoko asked again, her normal voice returning.   
  
"I... urm..." Hanshin looked at her and realized why he was so attracted to Shayla. Ryoko's catlike golden eyes, the way her hair seemed to emulate her upbeat childlike mentality. And then he realized that Shayla lacked one thing, her personality, her confidence, her stubborn willingness to never back down.  
  
Ryoko watched him struggle with his words. He always was so strong, so protective, but now he seemed just having trouble breathing. A few strands of his long hair had worked their way out of place and hung in front of his soft gentle green eyes.  
  
Hanshin gulped for air. "Ryoko I..." What came next actually left the Jurain warrior speechless.  
  
" ...love you too." Were the last words he heard before Ryoko pressed her lips to his. She pushed him back on the seat to the point he was struggling to sit up, until she shifted all her weight to lay atop of him which caused him to lay flat on the wooden bench.  
  
Ryoko placed her hands on either side of his face, letting them feel every inch. He was stoic, not moving, Ryoko was about to pull back when she felt his arms move and his hands on her waist.  
  
If their eyes had been open, Ryoko would have had the treat of seeing Hanshin's green orbs roll completely back into his head when she deepened the kiss, slipping her tongue into his mouth. He needed air, but was not about to stop this; he let his right hand trace its way upward from her waist, across her back, and to her neck.  
  
Ryoko melted as His strong hand held her neck. She broke her lips from his for a second, allowing them both to gather some much needed air, and relished when he closed the gap back between them. Taking the lead and letting his tongue glide across her lips.  
  
Gentle hand rubbing her back where the modestly low cut dress left bare, the other hand moved from her neck to the side of her face. She broke the kiss, pressing her cheek into the palm of his hand.  
  
"Han..." She moaned, her calling him that for the first time, her word. He loved it from that moment on.  
  
"Yoko." If anything solid remained of her heart, it was gone now. She laid her hand on his chest listening to his heartbeat, and just enjoying his smell, and the way his arms were wrapped around her.  
  
"Yoko I..."  
  
"HEY!" A stern voice penetrated the night like the sudden light shining on them, causing the couple to jolt up. "You two take it somewhere else." An uniformed policeman said before turning off his flashlight.  
  
Han and Yoko looked at him a moment before bursting into laughter. Imagine, the two most dangerous space pirates in the universe getting busted for making out in a park.  
  
"What's so funny?" The cop asked, apparently not finding the humor in their laughter.  
  
"Nothing Officer!" Ryoko threw up a mock salute before stepping into Han's arms. Let's go home okay?" She asked. Han only nodded and kissed her on the forehead before telaporting away.   
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Washu leaned back on her cushion eating some noodles Sasami had just brought her. Both her daughters and Hanshin's vital signs and brainwaves were stable, except for a moment ago when they got a little, excited. *Gotta remember to ask little Ryoko what that was about.* She thought blowing on the noodles before slurping them down.  
  
"Again?" She said aloud as Hanshin's brain waves started to increase, but unlike before, they didn't level out. "Crap!" Washu dropped the noodles and began a furious assault on her keyboard. Both his vital signs and brainwaves were now beyond what any normal person could stand. And then, a mothers worst fear, Ryoko's vital signs started to skyrocket too.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
The young woman walked along the halls of Souja towards the bridge.   
  
"One hundredth anniversary." Ryoko said aloud, liking the sound of it. It was hard to believe that they were still as happy as a couple of teenagers. *Oh have I got a good present for you tonight Han.* She thought about their bedroom which she had just finished decorating with candles, and other romantic paraphernalia. *Yep, tonight's the night!* She exclaimed, knowing good and well that she was lucky to have a guy that would wait 100 years for their first time.   
  
She could make out Han's voice as she neared the large doors that lead to the bridge. *Must be on the communicator?* She thought as she looked through the crack between the doors. She was startled at what she saw.  
  
Han was kneeling on the floor before a woman. She seemed to glow, robes flowing in the air; the woman sent a chill up Ryoko's spine, for she knew very well who it was.  
  
"Yosho," The woman spoke turning to the man at her feet. "The very son of the people who wanted me to protect them, is in complete control of Jurai's power."  
  
Han continued to silently kneel before the goddess.  
  
Tokimi looked down at her servant. "We must deal with him."  
  
"I will take care of it." Hanshin said, never lifting his eyes from the polished floor of Souja.  
  
"No."  
  
"My lady?" Hanshin questioned, still not looking up at her.  
  
"Send that little wretch first. I want to see what she can do."  
  
Han's anger rose when Tokimi called her a 'wretch'. "My lady, if Yosho truly does posses the Jurai power, Ryoko will not be enough to defeat him."  
  
"No big loss, at least you will be able to see how he fights." The Goddess smiled.  
  
"No." Han clenched his fist, preparing for what was about to come.   
  
"What did you say?" Tokimi's voice was in shock.  
  
"I said no. She has no chance, I will fight him alone."  
  
"Insolent Pig!" A fire burned in her eyes at Tokimi channeled energy at Han, sending the still kneeling warrior crashing back against the wall.  
  
"NO!" Ryoko yelled running in the door to where he lay.  
  
"Ryoko what are you doing? Get out of here!" Han struggled his words trying to rise off the floor.  
  
"So you both are against me?" She asked before channeling energy again and firing another shot, but this time at Ryoko.  
  
Han shoved her out of the way and took the blast himself, kneeling to the floor; body smoking from the temperatures that would have melted any normal matter.  
  
"Stop it!" Ryoko yelled standing arms outstretched between Han and the Goddess. "I'll do it, I'll fight this Yosho! Just don't hurt him any more." She pleaded the last part, tears falling from her face.  
  
"Yoko..." Han exhaled.  
  
Tokimi watched her two slaves. "I see." She hissed looking at them both. "Very well, you will get to fight him."  
  
"Thank you." Ryoko said lowering her arms to her side.  
  
"But Hanshin?" Tokimi asked looking at him still on the floor. "You disobeyed me." She pointed a finger at him, and without energy or movement on her part, took control.  
  
"AHHHH!" Han yelled as his body erupted in energy, lightning coercing throughout it.  
  
Ryoko watched Tokimi disappear, and then ran to his side. "Han! Han can you hear me!" She reached out to touch him but was shocked and thrown back across the floor.  
  
Han stumbled to his feet, clinching his muscles in a vain attempt to fight. Grabbing his head he jerked back screaming in pain. Ryoko could only watch as the electricity pulsed from his eyes, his mouth and across his body. Then it stopped, and the smoldering warrior fell limply to the ground.   
  
Ryoko struggled to her feet and ran to his side, falling to her knees. "Han...please!" She cried putting her arms around him trying to turn him over on his back. "Please Han speak to me!"   
  
"Ryoko..." A cold mutter escaped his lips.  
  
"Han?" She asked just before his hand came up and grabbed her throat.  
  
The man stood, effortlessly holding her limp body in the air with one hand. Ryoko could only look in horror, struggling to breathe with the ice cold hand clamped around her neck.  
  
"Han..." she managed to choke out, but this was not him, this was something different.  
  
The man's lifeless yellow eyes stared back at her suffering in amusement. In a flash a sinister smile formed on his face, as his hair turned a stark white.  
  
"Not Han..." the man growled. "Kagato..." he hissed.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Darkness was all around her.  
  
"ryoko."  
  
She heard someone calling faintly in the distance.  
  
"ryoko."  
  
It grew a little louder this time and a piercing white light greeted her as she tried to open her eyes.  
  
"Ryoko!" Han held her limp body in his arms and watched as she opened her eyes.  
  
She watched him, not fully aware of her surrounding back in Washu's lab.   
  
"Are you okay?" He asked guiding her up as she stood. "This was wrong, I am sorry, sometimes the flashbacks come and I cant...."  
  
"Han..." Ryoko wrapped her arms around him, not to help herself stand, but to press her lips to his.  
  
At first he was startled, but he quickly realized it was really happening. She held him close feeling his hands on her back and neck just like in the past. It was real. And they both rejoiced in it.  
  
Han could not believe he was tasting her sweet lips again. Tears spilled from the cracks of his closed eyes, he finally got his Yoko back.  
  
  
  
  
  
.... Man, that one was hard to write. In case you still haven't figured it out, most of it was a flashback (duh). It took me a while because I had to get a totally fresh view on both characters, before Han was Kagato, and Ryoko was abused. Hopefully it wont take me long to get back to the regular swing of things. Currently looking at about 3 more chapters. Please Review and tell me what you think. 


	8. Approaching Darkness

Sorry for taking so long to write this chapter, and I'm sorry to say the next one may not be out much quicker. Having some family problems, but I will finish this at all costs! Glad to see that you liked the last chapter, and that most of you are warming up to Hanshin, well enough of that.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Calm, peaceful, soothing. Morning slowly spread over the plush green hills that encased the Misaki home and shrine. The leaves and grass sparkled as the light played off the dew, sometimes creating mini prisms that gave the forest new colors.  
  
Han sat on top of the Misaki cave. The orange ball of fire had just risen over the Sunday horizon and he knew now why Japan was called the land of the rising sun. Exhaling he squeezed the woman sitting in front of him to his chest and buried his face in the back of her hair.  
  
She didn't respond, just leaned back against him and placed one hand over his that were intertwined around her waist, while pulling the quilt tighter that was wrapped around the two of them. After seeing his memories, no, their memories, it seemed like her life was complete. Like a giant piece of her had returned, problem was, she hadn't even realized it was gone.   
  
Last night they just, held each other. Both of them were content and perfectly happy with just that. If you had told her she would just be happy snuggling a month ago, you would have been crazy. But now, it just seemed so... fulfilling.  
  
She could feel his heart beat on her back, after a while she couldn't tell when her own was beating, they seemed to take up the same speed. There was still Tenchi. She loved him, she admitted that much to herself, but to what degree?  
  
Throughout her years in the cave he had been there, he was the one, the only one that ever reached out to her. She watched him play, imagining she could play along side him. She watched him grow, from the small child to an amazingly handsome young man. And she watched him cry, placing a transparent hand on his back as he wept for his grandmother, and then Achika. Is Tenchi a true love? Once again, if you had asked her a month ago, yes. But now, things were complicated.   
  
Back then, Tenchi had been the only one to ever care about her, and she clung to it. Her knight in Jurian armor, he rescued her from the cave, Kagato, and even Dr. Clay. Then cared for her afterwards. But now, she knew he wasn't the only one.  
  
"Ryoko?"   
  
Ryoko nearly melted as Han's calm voice seemed to vibrate through her body. When she didn't respond, he let his fingers slightly tickle her stomach.  
  
"Stop." She giggled; it was hard to remember that he already knew everything about her.  
  
He smiled and did as he was told, placing a small kiss on her neck. "What are you thinking about?"  
  
She leaned back against his chest causing him to scoot back against the rock's wall for support. "Just wondering if we could stay up here forever."  
  
"I wish we could."  
  
"You can feel her cant you? She asked, holding his hand and letting her fingers trace the lines on his palm.  
  
"Yes, she is almost here." He said solemnly before looking down from the clouds to her. "You know your mother is going to be mad that you threw away our little communicators."  
  
"I just wanted some time alone, is that too much to ask?" She cocked up an eyebrow and looked back over her shoulder.  
  
"No," He smiled. "...defiantly not."  
  
His smile, how could she have forgotten it? Back then, it was something she looked forward to seeing every day. Ryoko closed her eyes remembering the way she felt in his memories. She just wished this Tokimi business would be over already. Then she could properly rekindle where they left off. "I can't wait to see the rest of what happened back then."  
  
Han thought back to the experience in Washu's lab. Just after he regained his senses she fell out of her seat like a rag-doll. He was terrified; her eyes had rolled back into her head, he thought he had lost her, again. "Why don't we forget about that, let's just focus on what's going on right now."  
  
She smiled, one fang hanging on the corner of her lip, turning around still inside the blanket to sit across his legs. He could tell that that this would be a battle hard won. She was after all, Ryoko. And if she wanted to see everything that happened, come hell or high water, she would.   
  
"Well talk about that later, okay?"  
  
His arms found new purchase around her, as her hand reached up to his face, sliding across his cheek. Gently they both leaned forward, instinctively cocking their heads to the side, and let their mouths meet.   
  
As the slow, long kiss subsided, they just sat there looking in each other's eyes for the longest time. A cool, soothing wind rolled up the side of the Misaki cave, sweeping across their exposed faces. One might look at them like any couple engrossed with each other, in fact, that's just what they were.   
  
~~~:*:~~~  
  
"SHE'S HERE!!!" Washu yelled bursting through the doorway of her lab into the living room where the entire household, save for two, had just been transported.  
  
"WASHU!" Kiyone growled trying to hide her naked body behind Lord Katsuhito. Tenchi suddenly found something interesting on the ceiling, while Nobuyuki found something interesting behind his father-in-law. "You could have given me enough time to get out of the shower you know!"  
  
"Kiyone please. Must we go over such trivial matters now? We have a crisis on our hands." Washu grinned. "And for God's sake put some clothes on!"  
  
"Now lets don't be so rash you two." Katsuhito looked over his shoulder at Kiyone with a wry smile. "This is quite entertaining."   
  
"Washu!!!" She growled again turning a deep red and nearly sinking to the floor.  
  
Washu exhaled, and opened her holo-computer. "The things I put up with." She muttered telaporting a new GP uniform from her sub-space closet onto Kiyone.   
  
"Where's Ryoko and Hanshin?" Tenchi asked looking around dumfounded, happy to change the subject. "I haven't seen them since last night."  
  
"Trust me they'll be here." Washu dismissed any doubts with a casual wave of her hand and moved right along with her little briefing. "Tenchi, Ayeka. We will be able to see everything that's going on so if you need anything just yell. I will be up in Ryo-ohki in case I need to sweep down and pick anyone up. Kiyone and Mihoshi will have the rest of the family in Yukinojo."  
  
"As soon as the fighting starts I will be able to call the Alpha fleet in for emergency assistance." Kiyone explained adjusting her collar. "I doubt they will be able to anything except evacuate people."  
  
"How quick can they be here?" Ayeka asked, already in her battle garb, with Azaka and Kamidake floating at attention next to her.  
  
"Fifteen minutes." Kiyone sighed.  
  
"So we will have to hold her off until then." Tenchi smiled letting her know that fifteen minutes was better than he expected. "Thank you Kiyone."  
  
Washu picked up Ryo-ohki and walked to the sliding door. "I put a small signal emitter with your DNA output out in the lake Tenchi so I am guessing that is where she will arise."  
  
"Thank you Miss Washu."  
  
She turned and gave Tenchi a very stern look. "Say it!"  
  
"I... mean little Washu." Tenchi instinctively put a hand behind his head.  
  
"That's better." She smiled and left.  
  
"At least she isn't loosing her cool." Ayeka sweat-dropped.  
  
~~~:*:~~~  
  
"You ready?" Ryoko asked pulling the black glove of her battle suit over her hand. She intertwined her fingers ensuring the gloves made a perfect fit and looked at the man beside her. "Hey, you awake?" She asked gently elbowing him in the ribs.  
  
"Yes?" He asked regaining his presence in the real world and turning to look back at her. "Yoko?"  
  
"Himm?"  
  
"I want you to promise me something."  
  
"What?" Ryoko was worried by the over serious tone in his voice.  
  
"That you will get out here alive."  
  
She cocked up an eyebrow. "Well I don't plan on dying if that's what you mean."  
  
"It is, but if Tenchi or I are killed I don't want you doing something..." Han seemed to pause carefully choosing the correct word. "...rash."  
  
Ryoko narrowed her eyes at him.   
  
"Don't look at me like that." He pleaded looking to the ground, but her hand raised his face back up.  
  
"I don't plan on going psycho, but you had better not plan on getting killed either." She gave him a quick peck on the lips before floating away into the air.   
  
Han watched her as she giggled doing a soft back flip in the air. She was so graceful, something like a forest nymph floating in the trees.  
  
"Well look who decided to show up." She announced with her hand shading her eyes.  
  
"Who?" He asked still watching her float in the air.  
  
"Tenchi and little Miss Prissy Pants!" Ryoko hollered.  
  
"I heard that monster woman!" Came a yell through the woods a moment before Tenchi, Ayeka and the two guardians came into the clearing.  
  
"Well I see you two are dressed for the occasion." Ryoko floated down to the ground and seemed to glance back and forth between Tenchi and Hanshin for a moment. "Tenchi, come here a minute would ya?"  
  
"Umm, okay Ryoko."  
  
Ryoko and Tenchi walked off to the corner where the grass that bordered the lake met the forest, leaving Ayeka and Hanshin to themselves. Ryoko sat on a fallen tree and looked into the woods. When Tenchi didn't say anything she patted the log next to her.  
  
"What is it." He finally asked after taking a seat next to her.  
  
"I'm in love with Hanshin."  
  
"Oh." What else could he say?   
  
"Washu was able to let me see his memories." Ryoko nervously twisted her fingers. She was really doing it, she was actually telling him. "I, I just wanted you to know."  
  
"That's good Ryoko." Her head shot up, and Tenchi could have kicked himself for saying it like that. "I mean I hate it, I'm just glad you seem happy." He stammered waving his hands in front of him.  
  
"Tenchi, I still love you. It's just..." She looked back down at the grass at her feet. "I can't believe I'm saying this."  
  
"Go on."  
  
"Han has just been there for me. Even before you were born. He cared for me the way you do and more. I just want to feel like that again. I'm sorry."  
  
"Ryoko, I should be the one who is sorry. I'm just glad that you found him. The truth is, I just want you to be happy Ryoko." Tenchi put his hand on hers and chuckled.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I was just talking to Grandpa last night about you two." He looked down at the log where his hand covered hers. "And now that I don't need to decide, I realize I should have done so when I had the chance."  
  
"What are you saying? I thought you and Ayeka were pretty much..." Ryoko puckered her lips and acted like she was squeezing some imaginary objects into one.  
  
Tenchi laughed. "No, not like that. Its kinda hard to explain, I guess we just got closer when all this started."   
  
"So you are trying to tell me that that kiss was nothing?"  
  
"Wha... what kiss?" Tenchi's eyes shot open and glassed over like a deer caught in a pair of headlights.  
  
"Don't play stupid Misaki." She poked a finger to his chest. "I don't mind if you two kissed, but it had better been worth something."  
  
Tenchi sighed, defeated. "Yes it was worth something..."  
  
"Good." Ryoko cut him off, preventing him from continuing. "Because I just want you to be happy too."   
  
~~~  
  
"Ayeka?" Hanshin's voice broke the silence that surrounded the two.  
  
"Yes?" The princess turned from looking at where Tenchi and Ryoko were talking. Hanshin stood beside her looking out over the lake.  
  
"You recall the other night, when you offered me anything at Jurai's disposal?"  
  
"Yes, I am sorry Han." Ayeka held her hands together in front of her and looked down "Father and I had a falling out so I do not believe there is much I can do."  
  
"You don't need to do much, just make sure she gets out alive." Han turned his head and looked at Ryoko.  
  
"Ryoko?" Ayeka asked following his gaze.  
  
"Yes, I want you to promise me that no matter what happens you will get her to safety by any means."  
  
"Very well." Ayeka symbolically bowed her head a little.  
  
Hanshin looked down into her eyes when she looked up to make sure she understood he was completely serious. "I don't care if you have to knock her out, or drag her away kicking and screaming, I just want her out of here if things start to go wrong."  
  
"Yes, I understand." Ayeka was happy for Ryoko. This man, the one who had supposedly hurt her all those years, did actually love her. She already missed their fights over Tenchi, but she knew they would always find something to yell about.  
  
"Hey!" Ryoko yelled startling Ayeka. "You better keep you distance, that one is mine." She said as she floated through the air and wrapped her arms around Han's neck, twirling around him before setting down on her feet. She shot Ayeka one last perturbed glance before looking up at him. "So, did ya miss me?"  
  
"Of course princess." He leaned down and pecked her on the lips before she grabbed the back of his head.  
  
"Come on now, don't be shy." She said coyly before closing the gap between them...  
  
The ground erupted; the very earth beneath their feet seemed to come alive. Birds took flight out of the woods as waves began to form in the lake. Ryoko kept her hands entwined tightly around Han's neck for support.  
  
"Tokimi." He growled, surprising Ryoko with the fierceness that consumed his one word explanation.  
  
Lightning struck the ground from pitch-black clouds that were no where to be seen a few moments ago. Ayeka and Tenchi both leaned onto Azaka and Kamidake for support as one bolt struck a tree nearby, sending burning embers showering like rain across the four, the wind continuing to howl like a warning from Hell itself.  
  
The clouds over the lake cleared, seeming to part to let a large bolt of lightning strike the surface of the water, resulting in an explosion of steam.  
  
Then it was quiet  
  
No noise, no wind, the only thing remaining of the past few moments ciaos were the black clouds in the sky.  
  
Han closed his eyes, desperately trying to see past the silence. He could feel Ryoko's heartbeat against his chest. Still hear the water cooling from the lightning strike, and footsteps? On water?  
  
The others heard it too, and they all looked to the cloud of steam in the lake, and the figure that walked towards them.  
  
Other than the soft, gentle, steps of her feet on the water, it remained silent as she cleared the steam. She continued to walk towards them, not even pausing when Ryoko and Han ignited their energy swords, and Tenchi the Master Key.  
  
She stopped just before the water met the shore, and silently looked in depth at them, one by one. Surprisingly she did not spend any more time examining Tenchi as she did Ryoko or Ayeka, but then she stopped at Hanshin.  
  
She smiled kindly, closing her eyes and re-opining them. "Are you ready Kagato?" The human sized Goddess asked, with an elegance that would of put Ayeka to shame.  
  
"What is she talking about?" Tenchi inquired looking at Hanshin.  
  
"That dumb bitch still thinks you're under her control." Ryoko added bracing her feet apart and holding her sword ready before her.  
  
"She must be losing her mind, she has to realize that she cant do that anymore." Han growled again, just her presence was causing him to seethe with anger.  
  
"Do not worry Kagato, all will be made clear soon." She said, still maintaining the royal air surrounding her.  
  
Hanshin Growled. "Do not call me that name!"  
  
Tokimi didn't respond. In one elegant motion she raised her hand and held it out to the warrior. Her eyes narrowed as she concentrated. Han was ready to rip her face off when the sharp pain in his head returned.  
  
"Ahh..." He fell to one knee as the feeling drove its way through his head like a needle.  
  
"Hanshin?" Tenchi asked, stepping to his side but keeping a careful watch on the Goddess.  
  
He didn't reply. His energy sword dissipated as he dug his fingers into the earth, it felt like someone was trying crush his skull. "AAARRRGGG!!!!" He yelled spastically convulsing on the ground, holding his head.  
  
"HAN!" Ryoko called, as she ran to his side. *Tokimi must be trying to kill him?*  
  
"NO, GET AWAY!" He yelled through the pain pushing Ryoko away as energy cracked around him.  
  
Ryoko stumbled back.  
  
"What's happening to him!" Ayeka yelled.  
  
~*Mom! What's happening to him, I thought you said Tokimi couldn't control him anymore?*~ Ryoko franticly called through her link, hoping for once that her mother had been eavesdropping.  
  
~*She cant! Its like she is transferring energy to his brain, I don't understand this!*~ Washu instantly shot back.  
  
He slammed his fist down causing the earth under their feet to shake, and the water under Tokimi's to ripple. Han stopped struggling, and just sat motionless on his knees. All was quiet, the three standing warriors took turns looking between their fallen comrade and the Goddess.  
  
"Are you all right Kagato?" Tokimi asked.  
  
Hanshin's figure rose to his feet and turned to face Tokimi. "Never better." A cold, gravely voice escaped his lips. When he turned around, his burning yellow eyes narrowed in a look of pure evil.  
  
Ryoko was gripping her energy sword so hard it began to singe her suit. "I don't know how you took control of him again but I am not going to let Han die!" She threatened.  
  
"You are misinformed Ryoko." Tokimi looked at Kagato who flipped his black hair over his shoulder, turning it a stark white as a small upcurving graced the corners of his lips.  
  
"What are you talking about!"  
  
"Silly Ryoko..." Kagato's eyes narrowed as a small pair of glasses appeared on his face. "There never was a Hanshin."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
... Easy there! (ducks a flaming torch flung at my head) I didn't just add this in, its been planned from the start. Flame me if you wish, but just stick with me to the end, deal? Good.   
  
Please review and tell me what you think, two more to go. 


	9. Everything I Can't Remember

I apologize for this taking so long to write, but here it is...  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Wha... What did you say?" Ryoko's eyes widened.  
  
"I always knew you were defective Ryoko but I thought your hearing was accurate." That dry, maniacal laugh accompanied his insult. "No matter, every machine needs adequate tuning once or twice every thousand years."  
  
"Enough!" Tenchi yelled. "What did you do with him?"  
  
"You must mean 'Hanshin'.  
  
"Yes Hanshin!"  
  
"My boy, there was not a him to do anything with."  
  
"So it was you all along?" Ayeka asked.  
  
Kagato laughed again. "I must confess I am loving the sudden interest you three are showing in me. To answer your question, yes and no princess. I really had no control of my actions, I was more like a passenger looking through his eyes, and quite frankly Ryoko I don't see what was so traumatic about it."  
  
"Why?" Ryoko maintained her fierce battle face although her heart was breaking. "Why not just come down here and attack us like before. Why all this!?!?"  
  
"You see Ryoko," Tokimi spoke up still standing on the lake's surface. "We needed to be sure that Tenchi had not been able to form a stronger bond with the Jurai power since Kagato last fought him."  
  
"You mean you two are working together?"  
  
"In a way, for mutual benefits." Kagato smiled.  
  
"So it was you all along, you lied to me, even tricked me into loving you."  
  
Kagato sighed like he was explaining something over again to a small child. "I already told you, I was just observing. It was all quite amusing if you ask me."   
  
"You see, it would be impossible for Kagato to infiltrate your family with Washu and Yosho. They would have been able to see through any cosmetic changes that I made to his person." Tokimi looked over to Kagato.  
  
"It would have been nothing for them to look into my mind the second I knocked on your door."  
  
Tokimi continued. "So I created a conscious who would draw the most sympathy from each of you and temporarily used Kagato to carry it. Ryoko was a given of course. Her finding out that her tormenter was just as innocent as she was essential. Ayeka and Sasami were connected to him through their kingdom and royal blood. Tenchi as you no doubt know has a soft spot for tragic cases. Yosho cannot stand someone to have a divided heart. And Washu was easily enough convinced through her scientific research and experiments that 'Hanshin' was the real thing. Of course if any of you had detected Kagato's presence it would have been dismissed on the grounds that it was all my conditioning."  
  
"So it was all a lie?" Ryoko asked, no louder than a whisper.   
  
"Fabricated yes, the trip to Corgil, Shayla and Chris were maid up, as well as an additional seven-hundred thousand years of memories to convince him of who he was. But his entity had to be real to ensure no one would suspect anything."  
  
"So in the end Hanshin was telling the truth. To him all of his memories actually happened?" Tenchi asked.  
  
"So he was not a Jurain descendent?" Ayeka quickly followed.  
  
Tokimi nodded. "Yes, to him it was all real, and he was of pure Jurain genetic makeup to ensure he would pass all of Washu's tests. But the real Hanshin of Jurai did in fact die while he was still an infant."  
  
Tenchi spoke up. "Why are you doing this, was the part about the Jurai power being able to kill Tokimi a lie too?"  
  
"No that was true, Tokimi knew of my fascination with the Light Hawk Wings and came to me with a partnership after Dr. Clay failed her."  
  
"And that was?"  
  
"Simple really, in exchange for removing the Jurai power from you. She would allow me to keep it."  
  
"Are you crazy!" Tenchi turned to the goddess in the lake. "Don't you know the second he is in control of Jurai's power he will turn on you!"  
  
"Kagato and I have an agreement. Besides, he could not harm me anyway, like you he is not of pure uncontaminated Jurain blood."  
  
"Once I have the power of the Light Hawk I will be the single most powerful being in the universe. Tokimi will retreat back into her obscure darkness without fear of being killed. A happy ending for both of us." Kagato extended his arm from under his cloak and held it open to Tenchi. "So why don't you just hand over the Master Key like a good boy?"  
  
Tenchi braced his feet apart and held the shimmering LightHawk blade before him.  
  
"I had hoped that would be your answer." Kagato closed his hand into a fist and ignited his old green blade. "But I should warn you boy, last time you defeated nothing more than one of my shadows!"  
  
"BASTARD!!!!" Tenchi yelled sweeping the blade behind him and charging at Kagato with his left arm out in front. A mixture of green and white sparks burst into the air as Kagato deflected his first two blows before returning with three of his own.  
  
The tide quickly turned and Tenchi quickly found himself hurriedly backpedaling to find a good stance. Kagato rushed him and with three quick, short, strikes against the Light Hawk Sword saw an opening.   
  
Kagato slashed upward only holding his sword with his left hand. Tenchi was caught off guard and soon found his arms up around his right shoulder leaving his chest open. Kagato smiled charging and energy blast in his free right hand and striking the young Jurain prince in the chest. Sending him skidding across the wet grass and into a tree at the base of the forest.  
  
"You must of thought that we fought the same too?" Kagato seemed to come alive as the excitement of battle ran through his veins. "Let's just say that I favor offence a little more than he did." He then took off his outer cape and stretched his arms. "I should of gotten rid of that sooner, much too cumbersome for fighting don't you think?"  
  
"AAAAAAAA!" Tenchi yelled, erupting from the forest's edge. He arched high into the air leaving a trail of leaves and other underbrush behind him to float back to the ground.  
  
The two were blurs now. Both just accordingly colored streaks in the sky traveling too fast for the untrained eye to see. Ayeka watched on, wanting to help Tenchi in any way she could, but they were both well beyond her abilities. Quite frankly she wondered if Ryoko even stood a chance. However the fight between Tenchi and Kagato was the last thing on Ryoko's mind.  
  
*It... It was all a lie?* She thought to herself still standing in place. Everything, that night on Corgil, all the memories she was able to see, it was fabricated? It was Kagato all along; he was hidden behind Han, laughing at everything. She had been so happy, finally she was given answers, but they were all fake, parts of her past, all of his. *But he was real.* Kagato didn't have the patience to act like he did, he had to be real. He had to be, no lie could act like him, no lie could have held her like he did.  
  
"LORD TENCHI!!!"  
  
Ayeka's desperate scream snapped Ryoko back to reality.  
  
Tenchi stood before Kagato, face distorted somewhere between pain and surprise. He took an unsure step back, pulling his body off of Kagato's energy sword.   
  
"Stupid boy." Kagato hissed watching his handiwork in amusement.  
  
The Light Hawk sword disappeared in his hand as he looked at his stomach, and the ungodly amount of red pouring from it. He brought his blood-covered hand to his face and looked at it briefly before slumping onto his knees.  
  
"I'm... sorry..." He uttered before his eyes rolled back into his head and he landed face first on the ground.  
  
"NO LORD TENCHI!!!!!" Ayeka yelled again ignoring Kagato and rushing to his side where the grass under him was slowly being submerged in a pool of red.  
  
Kagato merely held an open hand in her direction and fired an energy ball just before she reached him. Azaka and Kamadake instantly put themselves between their princess and the blast, the following explosion shot them over the mountain as two charred pieces of wood, and the shock wave flung Ayeka helplessly to the ground.  
  
"Such foolish behavior." He muttered walking to the falling prince. The white garb and Jurain markings on his face faded away as he neared, and his eyed lit up as he noticed the Master Key laying just next to one of his outstretched hands. "Now to finish this little endeavor." Kagato said flipping his sword around into a stabbing position. "With you blessing of course my lady." He said looking back over his shoulder.  
  
"Do as you wish Kagato."   
  
"Hn." He raised the blade up and plunged it towards his helpless opponent.  
  
As his blade plunged down, the hairs on the back of his neck stood up, a feeling like static electricity coursing through his body. The feeling was gone in an instant however as Ryoko's energy blast blindsided him. The blast pushed him back, leaving two small trenches in the dirt where his feet tried for traction. Able to regain his senses he formed a shield that cut through the blast, sending it into the lake to explode.  
  
"I was beginning to wonder where you were." Kagato smiled brushing some soot off of his shoulder. "It's not like you to hide from a fight."  
  
Ryoko didn't respond, just looked at him with eyes eerily devoid of emotion.  
  
"Nothing to say? No comment? Or has the sight of your beloved Tenchi laying there in a pool of his own blood got you speechless?"  
  
Remaining silent she walked to stand in-between Kagato and the fallen Tenchi.  
  
"Ah yes, I had forgotten. You love 'him' now don't you. It is really amazing how easily your heart can be persuaded."  
  
Still, Ryoko remained silent as she raised her hand, igniting her crimson sword.  
  
"Please," Kagato dismissed her actions. "You're not going to hurt me. You know Ryoko, I will need a slave again once I have the Jurai power, someone to handle those dirty little jobs that keep piling up."  
  
"Never." She narrowed her eyes. "Mom made sure that would never happen again."  
  
"Mom hmm? I see you and Washu must be getting closer. That is a shame, because she is about to lose another child!" With that said, Kagato charged.  
  
"I know your there." Ryoko said as their swords crossed.  
  
"What are you talking about?" Kagato broke their swords from a cross stance and flipped back.  
  
"I can feel you." Ryoko stated solemnly holding her blade horizontal to deflect another swipe.  
  
*It looks like her mind has finally broken down.* Kagato smiled inwardly. She was, however, putting up a much better fight than he expected. Perhaps the Tenchi boy had taken more out of him than he thought.  
  
"I'm not running away, either you come back or I'm going to die." Kagato dismissed her gibberish as he spun to attack again. He shook his head trying to clear his vision that suddenly blurred.  
  
"You told me that you weren't going to leave and I'm holding you to your word."  
  
Something was wrong. Kagato had never felt this fatigued during a battle with someone of her low power level. It was like something was draining him.  
  
"Now get your ASS back here!" Ryoko swung with her left fist and miraculously connected with Kagato's jaw, causing him to stumble back a few steps and onto his knees.  
  
Kagato looked at her through hair that was matted to his forehead as she charged. His eyes burned, breath was ragged, and his stomach felt like it was twisting itself in two. He moved his free hand to wipe the hair from his eyes but could only watch as it slammed into the ground in defiance. Trying to stand was met with the same results; all he was able to do was blink as Ryoko stopped before him. "What are you doing to me!" He tried to curse at her, but no words came out. Then his eyes started to close, and he could do nothing but watch the blackness invade.  
  
Ryoko watched the man hunched over on the ground. His eyes would flash green, and then back to yellow, his hair to black and back to white. She stood there, her energy sword bobbing in the air as she caught her breath. The power stopped swirling around him, and his hair stayed black.   
  
He cautiously rose to his feet, taking in the destruction around him. *Was Kagato telling the truth?* His mind was racing, who was he really, had anything actually ever happened to him, or was it all just lies up to this point, was he even alive now?   
  
"Han?" Ryoko asked, raising her sword to strike incase it was still Kagato.  
  
"What's happening?" He looked at her, and she knew it wasn't Kagato.  
  
She grabbed his robes and stared face to face. "What's going on, are you real, who are you?!?!" She asked in a panic, watching his eyes nervously dart back and forth.  
  
"Ryoko..." He said blinking a couple of times to calm down. "I don't know what going on, or what of my life has been real but the time I spent here was." He lowered his head down until their foreheads touched. "Last night was." Ryoko just kept looking at him, trying to look past the face he put on. "Go get Ayeka."  
  
Ryoko nodded and ran to where Ayeka was slowly crawling to her feet, as Hanshin knelt down to the fallen prince.   
  
"Come on Ayeka." Ryoko held her arm as she got off the ground.   
  
"Where is he?" She asked looking around.  
  
"I don't know, I think he's gone."  
  
Hanshin looked up from Tenchi as Ayeka and Ryoko walked back up.  
  
"Hanshin?" Ayeka asked.  
  
"You need to get him to Washu." Han helped Tenchi's limp body up. "You two must hurry, he does not have much time left." Ayeka knelt down and lifted Tenchi up with one of his arms over her shoulder.  
  
"Go on Princess, I'll make sure you get Tenchi to safety." Ryoko said, she may not be able to do anything to Tokimi, but she could be sure Ryo-ohki made it out okay.  
  
Han looked back at her. "I meant you too Ryoko."  
  
"No way!" Ryoko yelled back closing her fist in the air, symbolizing that her mind was made up. "You didn't leave me and I'm not about to abandon you."  
  
"Ryoko please."  
  
"Hu?" She asked. Then it hit her. No one that stayed was going to survive. "No, if it is going to be like that we all need to go. We can fight her later, Washu can think of something."  
  
"Ryoko, I love you." He walked over and wrapped his arms around her.  
  
"I love you too." She said as her face softened a bit, and she gently held him back  
  
Han pushed away to arms length and smiled gently looking into her eyes. "Ayeka, you promised me." He said looking at the princess.  
  
Ayeka nodded and turned to Ryoko. Ryoko just looked at her a moment trying to figure out what was going on, but before she could hundreds of tiny logs appeared around her.  
  
"What are you doing?!?!" She asked in a panic as Han stepped back as she struggled to free herself from Ayeka's containment shield.  
  
"I am sorry Ryoko. I made him a promise."  
  
"Ayeka please!!! Please let me go!!!"  
  
"I am sorry Ryoko. I hope you will forgive me someday."  
  
No sooner than the words escaped her mouth Ryo-ohki burst through the clouds.  
  
"Ayeka! Don't do this!!!" Ryoko screamed again looking down to where Han stood. Tears fell from her face as she watched him get smaller as Washu's transport beam took them up to the ship. Her own screams drowned out Ayeka's apologies as they were beamed inside Ryo-ohki.  
  
"Goodbye Ryoko." Hanshin said to himself watching Ryo-ohki howl and fly up through the clouds. He turned back to Tokimi with a smile on his face.  
  
"What exactly do you think you can do to me."  
  
"You made me the first son of Jurai." Hanshin knelt down and picked up the blood stained Master Key from the ground where Tenchi fell, and closed his eyes.  
  
A blinding white light appeared and swept over him, changing his dark robes to the white ones adapted to the Light Hawk. The formal Jurain headband he was now wearing glowed as three energy blades appeared before him. Reaching out, he grasped one blade turning it into the Light Hawk Sword.  
  
"And as the first son of Jurai, the Jurai power is completely at my disposal."  
  
Tokimi gasped and Hanshin relished in her look of utter horror "Kagato you cannot..."  
  
"My name is HANSHIN!!!!" He yelled flying into the air in a white aura, swinging the blade over his head. Tokimi ran, pure and simple, narrowly escaping the tip of his sword that dug into the lake. She flew out across the water at an incredible speed, she needed to get out of here, if he was truly in full control of the Jurai Power one touch would mean the end. Her speed was mind boggling, soon you could see nothing of the lake she was once standing on. She started to ascend, to go back into space but stopped in an instant.  
  
"How?" He was there blocking her path! How could he have moved that fast? It was impossible.  
  
Hanshin smiled floating in front of her. "I got a little help from your friends on Jurai." His eyes narrowed as the symbol of the Light Hawk burned on his forehead.  
  
"Hanshin, your memories are not real. I never used you as my slave, if anything I am the one who has given you life."   
  
"If that's true, you did a real good job. Because right now my memories are all I have to go on."  
  
"You know what will happen if you follow this through. You know about the laws of energy, if we touch you will just as dead as I."  
  
"Begging?"  
  
"You want to see her again don't you? I know more than anyone the feelings you have for her." The Goddess held her arms out from her sides. "Let me be, you will never see or hear from me again. You have the Jurai power now, and you can stop me with minimal effort anytime you wish."  
  
"All I can remember other than the hell you put me through is my time here. Ryoko, Tenchi, Ayeka, Sasami, Yosho, all of then treated me like a human, not some damn tool. And then you come here, and try to kill them all so you can never die, don't you realize that none of them would of ever known the Jurai power could hurt you!?!?"  
  
Tokimi lowered her head. "Kagato insisted that this was the only way. He was the only one powerful enough to help that understood the power of the Light Hawk. His greed kept him pushing forward, I knew he had no regard for anyone's well being other than his own, but I aided him anyway."  
  
"And so now you want me to forgive you because you didn't pull the trigger. Because it was all Kagato's fault?"  
  
"You have beaten me, and you can destroy me a thousand years from now just as easily as you could today. But you deserve a life, one with her."  
  
The silence was defining around them.  
  
"Go before I change my mind." Hanshin said lowering his sword.  
  
Tokimi nodded and slowly ascended past Hanshin and towards space, while he let his sword dissolve. Tokimi was right, Kagato was the one who had attacked them, and he knew better than anyone knew what that man was capable of. He could stop Tokimi at any time now, why didn't he deserve a life?  
  
Tokimi threw her robes back and unleashed a blast of energy that seemed to emanate from her entire aura. Kagato, or rather Hanshin, was in control of the Jurai power, but Tokimi had massive amounts of her energy at her disposal. She just hoped that this blast would be enough to kill him, and still leave her with enough to survive.   
  
Hanshin turned to see a blinding black light speeding towards him. "You fool!" He yelled throwing his arms across his face and forming a shield. The blast hit him hard, everywhere it touched his body it felt like burning needles were being driven into his skin.   
  
Tokimi watched as he was engulfed, and smiled to herself when the beam passed and there was no opponent left. *So, in the end the one with the most power did prevail.* She thought. In this way things worked out much better for her. The Master Key was gone so she didn't have to worry about the Jurain's anymore, and Kagato was destroyed. *He would have been such a nuisance to deal with.* Just before she began to fly into space, something on her robe caught her eye.  
  
She looked down at the discolored spot, no bigger than an acorn on the fabric just above her left breast. Her fingers toughed the spot, and came away red and tacky. "Blood?" She stated absentmindedly before another drop fell in the same place, causing her to look up. "You!"   
  
Smoke lofted off his charred clothing as he breathed heavily, one arm across his midsection. The white robes of the Light Hawk were now a torn, battle worn and gray. But the symbol on his forehead burned brighter than ever. A small stream of blood oozed from behind his hand, flowing down to his elbow, and dripping off.  
  
"You!" She screamed again. "How did you..." Tokimi didn't finish her sentence. Hanshin moved his right arm out to his side, closing his fist around a white ball of energy forming a new Light Hawk sword. He closed his eyes and charged.   
  
His senses were guiding him now, allowing his last precious thoughts to be free. As he prepared to strike, glowing blade swinging high over his head, he muttered one word to himself: "Ryoko...".  
  
~~~:*:~~~  
  
Ryoko grabbed Washu by the throat and pinned her to the wall of Ryo-ohki. "Send me back now!" She yelled.  
  
Washu looked at her daughter. It was an empty threat, her hand was soft, she was just begging for help. Washu started to reply when the ship's alarm went off. "I'm sorry, it's too late."  
  
Ryoko looked out the window. A huge pillar of white light was shooting up from the Earth's surface and out into space. She let her mother go, falling to her knees while watching the beautiful sight. For reasons unknown to her she didn't cry, she just said a single word: "Han...".  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
... Well, please tell me what you think. There is another chapter, actually it's probably just going to be a short epilogue that I should have out soon, no longer than a week. 


	10. Next Sunday

Epilogue...  
  
One Week Later....  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The brown hared woman shuffled through the papers on the desk. Looking past the lights in front of her she nodded, and waited for her signal.  
  
"The explosion last week in the Okayama countryside has been attributed to a shooting star. While the cause was originally under investigation, a press statement released this morning stated that research teams have indeed uncovered a meteor. Scientists are still surveying the damage at the impact sight, which contains a crater approximately two hundred yards in diameter. Luckily the Okayama region is sparsely populated, and no one was injured. The meteor, which is about the size of..."  
  
Kiyone clicked off the television and tossed the remote to the foot table. "How did they come up with that?"  
  
"I had a little hand in it." Washu sat over. "I got plenty of meteor samples in the lab, well, one less now."  
  
Kiyone closed her eyes and leaned back on the couch. Everything was quiet now, too quite. Ryoko and Ayeka didn't fight, Mihoshi hadn't broken anything, and Nobuyuki hadn't been involved in some hair-brained scheme to gain access to the woman's bath. All of which showed the severity that the events of last Sunday had left. "How's Tenchi?"  
  
"Resting comfortably." Washu looked out the window, knowing her daughter was out somewhere by the lake. "He should be up and about in a week or two."  
  
"Does he know about Han yet?"  
  
Washu closed her eyes, remembering the expression on his face. "Yes, he asked me this morning."  
  
"How did he take it."  
  
"Pretty well, you know him, blames himself, he wishes he was strong enough to stop it from happening."  
  
"How about Ryoko?"   
  
Washu looked down, that was something she couldn't answer. She knew her daughter was dying inside, but she never showed it. She hadn't laughed or been her mischievous self since it happened, granted everyone wore the same face of mourning. Ryoko just seemed disconnected. Maybe the bond between Zero and Ryoko was not fully completed? She needed Ryoko to come into the lab so she could run a diagnostic check on her sensory and emotion girds, but Washu knew the last thing she needed was to be treated like an experiment. Ryoko would just stare at her plate at dinnertime, pecking at it. She would watch cartoons with Sasami and Mihoshi from her rafter but she never smiled like they did, or even laugh when that coyote got that stupid look on his face just before he fell off the cliff, something long ago that Washu decided would give you a smile no matter what mood you were in. But what bothered her most was that she never asked how Tenchi was. While she may have been in love with Hanshin, she still cared deeply for Tenchi. Although her daughter had shut down their link, Washu didn't need telepathy to tell she was dying inside.  
  
~~~:*:~~~  
  
Tenchi cracked an eye upon hearing the telltale sound of matter transporting inside the room. Washu had turned off the lights when she left so he couldn't see where she was, but he knew those cat-like golden eyes could see him, even if he couldn't see her.  
  
"I'm awake." He said, and a few moments later a soft click sounded as the entire room was filled with light. "Hey."  
  
"How are you doing?" Ryoko asked, still standing by the light switch.  
  
"Pretty good." Tenchi said taking notice once again of the tubes running into his arm and the large bandages across his chest.  
  
"Worried Washu is going to try and get that 'sample' from you?" Ryoko let out a halfhearted laugh while walking back over to his bed.   
  
"Well, no not anymore." He had to look at the ceiling to avoid Ryoko's eyes as he thought of the reason why he wasn't scared.  
  
"You're braver than me then." She stated, dragging a chair over and sitting next to the bed.  
  
"What did you come in here for?"  
  
"What? Can't I visit?" Ryoko looked over at him, hurt.  
  
"No, it's just." Tenchi sighed. *I might as well bring it up.* "I'm sorry Ryoko."  
  
"No reason to be sorry, I just wanted to check on you."   
  
"I meant about Hanshin, Washu told me this morning." Tenchi looked over and found her staring intently at the floor.  
  
"Oh." She said, not raising her head.  
  
Neither said a word for the longest time. Tenchi was getting heavy-eyed from the effects of the IV in his arm and nearly jumped when Ryoko spoke.  
  
"Is this what it feels like?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"It hurts Tenchi." Tenchi looked over to see Ryoko holding her knees to her chest still in the chair and slowly rocking back and forth. "It hurts more than anything I have ever felt. More than anything Kagato ever did to me, more than being in that cave, more than me fearing losing you."  
  
"Ryoko I know it does."  
  
Ryoko, still sitting in the chair beside the bed, laid her head onto Tenchi's bandaged chest, and cried.  
  
~~~:*:~~~  
  
A man floated in nothingness. It was white all around him, as he looked harder into the space he saw his memories float before him, for his soul was no longer a void. Looking down to check himself for injuries he found none, for there was nothing to injure, he had no body. *What now?* He thought to himself, but his thoughts echoed through the white space as if he had just spoken them aloud.  
  
"Now, is up to you."  
  
"Who's there?"  
  
"It is just me." A young woman floated out of nothing. She was pretty, with teal almost blue hair that fell nearly to her feet in two strands, adorned in white robes that seemed to flow as if they were being tossed by a gentle breeze, however there was none.  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
"My name is Tsunami..."   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
....I want to thank everyone who reviewed, because without you I wouldn't have been able to finish this story. As with most of my stories, music did play a big part of this one. For the first eight chapters I would pop in Kid Rock's 'Lonely Road of Faith' for motivation. While chapter nine owes most of its credit to 'Its Been a While' by Stained (if you cant tell by the chapters title). I do have a couple of ideas jumping around in my head for a sequel or trilogy. But I have discovered that I need to be sure about the story before jumping into those. Like I said, I have ideas, and only ideas at this point. If you have any suggestions, ideas, plots, or any advice at all, please review and tell me. Or you are welcome to e-mail me at: eixid_@hotmail.com anytime you wish.  
  
As for now, I need to get back to my OLS/DBZ story before I am hunted down and killed.  
  
Once again, thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it.  
eixid... 


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